3g2 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



Order V. GALLINiE. 

 192. Syrrhaptes paradoxus, Pall. Stepnaya kuritza. 



Gouldj Birds of Asia^ part xix. pi. 



Is one of the most characteristic birds of Mongoha, inhabiting not only 

 the steppes, but also the deserts. In summer they go north, even beyond 

 Lake Baikal, where they breed, but spend the winter in the Gobi desert, in 

 such localities as are free from snow, and in Ala-shan ; and from the middle 

 of October we constantly met with them there, sometimes in flocks of 

 several thousands. 



The principal food of these enormous flocks consists of the seeds of 

 Agriophyllum gobicum; so that the number of the wintering birds depends 

 upon the large or small crop of these seeds, although they occasionally feed 

 also on other seeds and berries. 



At sunrise they leave their roosting-places, and depart into the desert in 

 search of food, flying very low, forming a line perpendicular to the direction 

 they are going in. 



The flight is very fast, the wings making a peculiar noise ; and when a 

 large flock is on the wing one can hear it from a considerable distance, the 

 noise somewhat resembling the sighing of the wind. When in the air the 

 male birds often utter a peculiar note, something like " truck-turuck, truck- 

 turnck." I noticed, however, that they do not often call when in large 

 flocks, but mostly when there are only a few individuals or single ones. 



Occasionally these small flocks rise rather high in the air, individuals 

 swooping down at intervals towards the ground, and again ascending, just as 

 our migrating Rooks do. 



At the feeding-place the whole flock sits down close, and, having 

 formed a line, run forward very clumsily and slowly, taking short steps and 

 waddling from side to side. The tracks which they leave on the ground 

 very much resemble those of some small mammals, and cover, in endless 

 series, the sandy Ala-shan deserts. 



