OF EASTERN TURKESTAN. 179 
799.—Pterocles arenarius, Pallas, 
While I was at Yarkand, I often heard of a bird called by 
the natives “ Beghitak”’ which was said to inhabit sandy desert 
ground and often gravelly steppes. It was described as some- 
what smaller than a Chicore, of a yellowish brown color like the 
back of the Turtledove, and having the legs feathered and the 
three toes partially joined together. The Beghitak was said to 
breed in the country, and its blood was reputed a specific for 
consumption. On the 5th August I first saw this bird near 
Besharik in open desert ground : two birds rose, a long way off 
before I saw them on the ground, and as it was after sunset the 
only points I learnt about them on that occasion were that they 
were very wild, had long pointed wings, a powerful flight and 
made a clacking noise like tuk, tuk, tuk, frequently repeated. 53 
Next day T saw three of these birds in waste ground where 
a few stunted bushes were growing; they appeared to be 
yellowish brown above, the breast dove color, abdomen dark or 
black, and lower tail-coverts white. Another of these birds 
was seen on a subsequent occasion in the desert, but this Sand 
Grouse (as I believe it to be) was always so wild ‘and wary that 
I could not manage to get within shot of it. 
809 A.—Phasianus Shawi, Liliott. 
6. Kashghar, 17th November.—Length, 27:2 ; expanse, 28°5; 
wing, 9°63; tail, 14°38; tarsus, 2°6; bill, from gape, 1°32 ; spur, 
0-4; weight, 1fb 14°5 oz. 
Bill, upper mandible, grey horny ; lower mandible, whitish 
horny : ; irides, straw color; legs, grey ; feet, brownish grey ; 
claws, dusky horny ; spur, dusky, whitish at extreme tip. 
36 Kashghar, 17th November.—Length, 25°4; expanse, 
27°4; wing, 9°45; tail, 13; tarsus, 2°65; bill, from gape, 1°35; 
spur, 0°35 ; weight, 2tb loz. 
Bill, grey horny ; ; irides, straw color; orbital skin, crimson, 
with sar dark depressions ; legs and feet, brownish grey ; claws, 
dusky ; spur, blackish. 
g. Beshkant, 6th February. —Length, 34°2; expanse, 30:7 ; 
wing, 9°72; tail, 19-2; tarsus, 2° 62; bill, from gape, 1°45; 
spur, 0-4; weight, 2 Ibs. 
Bill, erey horny ; irides, yellow straw color; orbital skin, 
crimson, with small black pits dotted over its surface; legs, 
brownish grey ; feet, somewhat darker than legs ; claws, brownish 
horny ; spurs, dusky blackish. 
3. Yarkand, 3rd March.—Uength, 29; expanse, 28°25 ; 
wing, 9°6; tail, 15 25: tarsus, 26; “bill, fom gape, 1:45; spur, 
0°35 ; weight, 2tb 1-25 oz. 
* It seems possible that these were Syrrhaptes paradovus.—A. O. H. 
