1878.] MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE PTEROCLID.E. 261 



Syrrhaptes paradoxus, Illig. Prodr. (181 I) p. 243. 



Syrrhaptes pallasii, Temm. Pig. et Galliu. vol. iii. pp. 282. 716 

 (1815); id. Plauch. Col. 95. 



Heteroclitus tartaricus, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat. vol. xiv. p. 

 453(1817). 



Syrrhaptes paradoxus, Licht. in Evers. Reise nach Buch. p. 134 

 (1823); Gray, Gen. B. vol. iii. p. 519; Reich. Syn. Av. Galliu. 

 (1851) pi. ccvii. figs. 1807-8; Moore, Ibis (1860) pi. iv. p. 105; 

 Swinh. Ibis (1861) p. 341 ; Newt. P. Z. S. (1861) pp. 203, 397 ; 

 Wortley, P. Z. S. (1861) p. 196; Parker, P. Z. S. (1862) p. 257, 

 (1863) p. 516 ; Swinh. P. Z. S. (1863) p. 306 ; Radde, Reis. S. O.- 

 Siber. (1863) vol. ii. p. 287, pi. xiv. fig. 3 (egg); Newt. Ibis (1864) 

 p. 185 ; Salvad. Ibis (1864) p. 228 ; Von Droste, Journ. fur Orn. 

 (1868) p. 406 ; Mull. Journ. fur Orn. (1869) p. 118 ; Von Homey. 

 Journ. fur Orn. (1870) p. 170; Malmgr. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1870) 

 p. 295; Fritsch, Journ. fiir Orn. (1871) p. 312; Swinh. P. Z. S. 

 (1871) p. 398; Severzov, Journ. fur Orn. (1873) p. 380; Von 

 Heugl. Journ. fur Orn. (1874) p. 399 ; Taczanow. Bull. Soc. Zool. 

 Fiance (1876) vol. i. p. 241 ; Dress. Ibis (1876) p. 322; id. B. 

 Eur. pt. 53 (1877) pi. ; Prjevalsky, in Bowl. Ornith. Misc. pt. ix. 

 p. 382; David & Oust. Ois. de la Chine (1877) p. 389. 



Tetrao arenaria, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. (1831) pi. 53, nee 

 text. 



Syrrhaptes heteroclita, Vieill. Gal. Ois. vol. ii. p. 64, pi. 222 

 (1834). 



Stepnaya kuritza, Mongolia (Prejevalsky). 

 ^ Hub. Tientsin, China ( Wortley) ; Pekin and Tientsin (Sivinhoe) ; 

 Turkestan (Severtzov) ; Mongolia (Prjevalsky) ; Kirghis steppes, 

 Donaria, plains of Petchely (David $ Oust.). 



Pallas's Sand-Grouse is essentially an Asiatic species, making its 

 home in the arid Kirghis steppes, the great Gobi desert, and east- 

 ward through Mongolia to the plains between Pekin and Tientsin in 

 North China, where it is especially numerous during the winter. The 

 year 1853 is the earliest in which this bird's presence is recorded in 

 Europe, Moschler having met with it at Sarepta, on the Volga 

 (Naum. vol. iii. p. 305). In 1859 a few specimens were obtained 

 in various parts of Western Europe ; but in 1863 a great number of 

 this species, estimated at many hundreds, suddenly appeared in many 

 parts of Europe, constituting a veritable ornithological " Tatar " 

 invasion, as it was aptly called by the historian of this remarkable 

 event. The birds proceeded as far as Ireland, in the west, to the 

 Faeroes, in the north, and to Perpignan in France, to the south. Great 

 numbers of them were killed ; and it is doubtful if many survived 

 to return to their eastern resorts. The cause of this singular migra- 

 tion has never been ascertained. 



About the plains between Peking and Tientsin, according to 

 Swinhoe, flocks of hundreds of this species constantly pass, flying 

 swiftly like the Golden Plover. The natives call them " Sha-chee," 

 or Sand-fowl. They are generally caught in nets ; and after a fall 

 of snow a space is cleared, upon which the net is placed and 



