136 SAND GROUSE. 



istan, and Northern India, where it is known to English sportsmen 

 either as Sand Grouse or Rock Pigeon. He further adds, "It fre- 

 quents dry arid wastes, and is usually met with in flocks; although 

 in request as a game bird its flesh is tough, and devoid of good 

 flavour. The call is a rough guttural sound, resembling 'tuturuk' 

 repeated." 



The following interesting account of the Sand Grouse is taken from 

 Canon Tristram's paper on the ^'Ornithology of Northern Africa," 

 (Ibis, vol. ii, p. 69:) — "There is much of the Plover character in the 

 flight and manner of this tribe; and the first time I observed a covey 

 on wing I took them for some large Plovers until within shot. The 

 flocks of this species are generally smaller than those of its congener, 

 though all the class appear to be more or less gregarious, even in the 

 breeding season, several generally nesting close to each other. The 

 P. arenarius is not so wary as P. alchata, perhaps from its upper 

 plumage assimilating more closely to the sand in colour; but when 

 alarmed it crouches to the ground, carefully concealing its dark breast, 

 and does not take wing until approached very closely. Then it 

 suddenly rises to a considerable height, and flies often to a great 

 distance. These birds chiefly feed towards sunset, when their call-note, 

 resembling that of a Partridge, may be heard incessantly until after 

 dusk. As if to shew that in some respects they are a link between 

 GallincB and Columhiclce , they never lay more than three eggs, this 

 being the invariable number of the genus. These are of a character 

 most unlike that of any other gallinaceous bird with which I am 

 acquainted, being extremely elongated, compressed in the centre, and 

 exactly the same size at each end — in fact perfectly elliptical. The 

 eggs are placed two in a line, and the third lengthways outside them, 

 in a depression in the sand without any nest. The bird in sitting, 

 as I have observed, lies on one side spreading out one wing to cover 

 the eggs, thus presenting a grotesque lop-sided appearance; but it is a 

 posture for which the deep keel of her sternum admirably adapts her." 



"The flesh of the Sand Grouse is extremely white, but very poor 

 and dry without any flavour. We never discovered any mode of 

 cooking by which it could be rendered tasty, or even palatable. I 

 have seen both the common species thrive while in captivity, and 

 almost domesticated in the courtyards of Arabs' houses." 



The e^^ which I have figured is one taken by Canon Tristram, and 

 kindly sent to me. It measures one inch and nine tenths long, and 

 four inches and one tenth round the middle. 



Colonel Irby, in a valuable paper in the "Ibis," vol. iii., p. 235, 

 on the "Birds observed in Oudh and Kumaon," says that two or 



