1861.] THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 197 



I fed them on millet the whole way home. They appeared to like 

 tidal waters, as they seemed to hang about the Peiho banks ; but, 

 of course, as our line of march never took us any distance from the 

 river-bank, I could not say that they may not be found more inland. 

 The temperature at the time the birds first began to be seen was 

 about 20° Fahr., and later on considerably lower ; and on the day 

 we finally steamed down through the ice, which covered the Peiho 

 for fifty miles of its course, the temperature was as low as 10° Fahr., 

 and the Grouse were in large flocks on each side. 



"I lost a good many at first in confinemeut ; and later on, in the hot 

 climate of Java, I lost more, particularly durmg the wet weather we 

 experienced there. After that I had but few casualties ; and I consider 

 myself very fortunate in having been able to hand over as many as 

 thirty-four out of seventy-three which I started with from Tientsin. 

 I regret that my want of scientific knowledge does not enable me to 

 give you a better account of this interesting bird ; but I feel sure Mr. 

 Swinhoe will give you any detailed account you may ask him for. I 

 may mention that Major Sarel, one of your Fellows, considered the 

 bird identical with one that he has shot on the lakes in Thibet *." 



A few days subsequent to the arrival of these birds, the Society had 

 received two more pairs of the same species from Capt. Hand of 

 H. M. S. 'Sampson,' with the following note : — 



" Capt. Hand begs leave to send the Zoological Society two brace 

 of birds brought from Tientsin, described by Hue as being called 

 there " Dragons' Feet." They were known to us as being called 

 Sand-Grouse. The flesh resembles that of black game; and they feed 

 upon millet and other small seeds — at least have been so fed for the 

 last five months." 



The passage referred to by Capt. Hand, in Hue's ' Tartary, Thibet 

 and China,' appeared to be the following (Mrs. Sinnett's transla- 

 tion, London, 1857, p. 93) : — 



"Tartary is peopled with migratory birds Amongst these was 



one which I believe to be unknown to our naturalists. It is about 

 the size of a quail, of an ash colour, with black spots, its eyes of a 

 brilliant black, and surrounded with a bright sky-blue rim. Its legs 

 have no feathers, but are covered with long rough hair ; and its feet 

 are not like those of any other bird, but resemble those of the green 

 lizard, and are covered with a shell so hard as to resist the sharpest 

 knife. This singular creature, which seems to partake at once of 

 the character of the bird, the quadruped, and the reptile, is called 

 by the Chinese Loung-Kio, that is. Dragon's Foot. They generally 

 arrive in great flocks from the north, especially when much snow has 

 fallen, flying with astonishing rapidity, so that the movement of 

 their wings is like a shower of hail. When caught they are extremely 

 fierce : the hair on their legs bristles up if you approach them ; and 

 if you venture to caress them, you are sure to receive some violent 

 blows from their beak." 



* This was no doubt Mr. Gould's new species of the ?.m\ii—Surrhaate<i m„ 

 tanus, figured iu Part 2 of his ' Birds of Asia.'— P. L. S. ■^V^rnaptes tibe- 



