56 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
PALLAS’S SAND GROUSE. 
REPORTS FROM THE CONTINENT. 
Heticotanv.—Herr P. C. Reisners, the proprietor of the 
restaurants on the Dune, says the first pair were shot on the 
15th of May, the last two on the 13th of June, 1888; altogether 
he shot about fifty specimens. The birds came in large flocks 
which were estimated at forty, sixty, and once at eighty head. 
The first arrivals were seen in April, and the last four specimens 
on the 17th of July. Most flocks flew to the west, and only 
one to the south. (‘Der Zoologische Garten,’ August, 1888 
p- 238). 
Houianp.—According to Dr. A. C. Oudemans, the first 
was seen in Holland on the 18th of May. It had flown against ~ 
a telegraph wire at Loosduinen, near the Hague, and was killed 
on the spot. It was a fine male, but the front of the neck was 
almost denuded of feathers by the concussion. Afterwards these 
grouse were met with in various places, both in the provinces 
and on the islands of Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland, &c. 
It is curious how many were killed by flying against telegraph 
wires, which may be due to the fact that the birds generally fly 
at a height of from five to eight metres from the ground. 
Hitherto eggs have not been met with out of doors, but it 
is said that a hen laid three eggs in captivity at Amsterdam. 
The number of birds observed varied from two to four, and 
from twenty to thirty, to hundreds, on the islands of the 
North Sea. Hight were brought to the Zoological Gardens at 
Amsterdam, five of which soon died. Dr. Oudemans bought a 
male from Texel for the gardens at the Hague, which also died 
after six days. This bird moped from the first, although it fed 
ravenously on seeds, green food, and ants’ eggs. (‘Der Zoologische 
Garten, August, 1888, p. 234). 
Iraty.—The first were shot on the coast at Fano, on the 
lst of May. About the middle of May a male bird, dead and 
decomposed, was found in the province of Mantua. About the 
same time one was caught by hand near Trieste, and was kept 
alive at the Natural History Museum there. Two specimens 
were caught at Montagnana, in the province of Padua, one of 
which was slightly injured, and was kept alive in a large cage 
