SAND-GROUSE. 391 
Before leaving this genus mention must be made of the little 
painted sand-grouse (P. fasciatus) of India, which is one of the most 
beautiful of all the group, and distinguished by its small size and black-and-white 
markings on the head. In habits it differs from the large sand-grouse, and resembles 
the nearly allied close-barred sand-grouse (P. lichtensteini), while as regards its 
plumage it so closely approximates to the small African species (P. quadricinctus) 
that it can only be distinguished by the different arrangement of the black and 
white bars adorning the smaller feathers of the wing. This species, which is seldom 
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A FLOCK OF PIN-TAILED SAND-GROUSE. 
if ever difficult of approach, and can run faster than the other kinds, is usually met 
with in small packs or in pairs, and frequents the neighbourhood of low, bush-clad, 
or sparingly-wooded hills. Mr. Thompson says it is nocturnal, and that even in 
the darkest night the birds arrive at the edge of the plain at dusk and remain 
feeding and going to water during the dark hours before the moon gets up, and he 
has frequently noted parties of six or seven flitting about noiselessly over an opening 
in the forest long after sunset. 
Pin-Tailed The pin-tailed sand-grouse (Pteroclwrus alchata) belongs to a 
Sand-Grouse. cenus differing from the last by the elongation of the middle tail- 
feathers, in this respect resembling Syrrhaptes. This species ranges from Asia 
