AVES. ' S3 



45. PODOCES HENDERSONI. 



Podoces hendersoni, Hume, Ibis, 1871, p. 408 ; id. & Henders. Lahore to Yark. p. 244, pi. xxii. (1873) ; 

 Scully, Str. F. iv. p. 159 (1876); Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. iii. p. 151 (1877) ; Prjev. in Eowley's 

 Orn. Misc. ii. p. 275 (1877). 



Nos. 929, 931. Khushtagh, November 2, 1873. 



No. 946. Bora. — Length 11*7 inches, wing 5*6, tail 4*3. Iris brown; bill and feet black. 

 Wings reach within 2*2 inches of end of tail. 



Nos. 1365, 1366, 1367. Tughamati, Eebruary 19, 1874. 



The typical specimens killed in August by Dr. Henderson have distinct spots of 

 sandy buff on the head ; these spots are also seen in Dr. Scully's specimen killed on 

 the 29th of September in the desert near Sanju. In the two birds from Khushtagh 

 the spots are less, and in all the specimens shot in February there is no trace of any 

 of the pale spots, showing apparently that they are indicative of winter plumage. 



This species was discovered by Dr. Henderson in the desert ground after leaving Sanju, 

 en route to Khushtagh, and also near to Oi-Tograk. 



Dr. Scully writes : — '' This species was only met with in the desert country which 

 intervenes between Sanju and Karghalik — an arm of the great Takla Makan Desert — which 

 we crossed on entering and leaving the plains of Eastern Turkestan. It was never seen or 

 heard of near Kashghar, Tarkand, or the country which lies between those two cities." He 

 gives a very interesting account of the habits of the species, and says that " the Turki name 

 is Kil yurgha, which has reference to the bird running in the trail of horses ; it is also, though 

 rarely, called Kum sagUzgliani, or ' Sand Magpie.' It is a permanent resident in Eastern 

 Turkestan, and is said to breed in May and June." 



General Prjevalski also found the species ''from Ordos and Ala-shandown to the Kan-su 

 mountains ; avoiding these, it settles at Tsaidam, but has not been observed on, the high 

 plains of Northern Tibet." In Gobi, between Ala-shan and Urgey, he repeatedly saw the 

 species, and he therefore considered that its distribution extended to 45° N. lat. 



" Podoces hendersoni,'' writes Colonel Biddulph, '' we got in the desert between Sanju and 

 Tarkand, and again between the latter and Kashghar. Like P. biddulphi^ they were on the 

 road, feeding, but always in bare ground, and not amongst bushes, but they were not so shy. 

 These were always found in pairs or singly, as we never saw them perch on any bushes ; 

 indeed they were never seen where there were any bushes. Both species, but especially 

 this one, run famously. When they j&rst see you they do not take to flight, but start off 

 running, and the present species never seems to fly unless hard-pressed." 



46. Podoces humilis. 



Podoces humilis J Hume & Henders. Lahore to Yark. p. 247, pi. xxiii. (1873) j Scully, Str. F. iv. p. 161 



(1876). 



Dr. Henderson was the discoverer of this species also. He observes :— " This strange 

 bird was only seen above Kichik Yailak on the way to Tarkand; on the return journey it 

 was not met with. It frequents short grassy downs, at a height of about 1100 feet. They 

 were not in flocks, but were scattered all over the hill-side." 



Dr. Scully writes : — " This species was first observed and a specimen shot at Kiwaz 

 (elevation 7487 feet) on the 26th of September, 1874. The birds were running about in the 



