428 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



(a) When at rest it utters a note resembling that of the female Barn-door 

 Fowl, only louder, occasionally interrupted by a peculiar whistle something 

 like that of a Snipe ; (J) when alighting it calls several times in succession, 

 sounding like "cliche cliche click-/' (c) when settling down on the ground it 

 makes a noise which sounds in this way — " Ooooo, Gooooo,'' several times 

 repeated ; and (^) when collecting its frightened young it whistles in a 

 manner which is quite distinct from the above-mentioned sound. 



In winter they keep in small flocks up to fifteen individuals ; and in 

 April, or even earlier, they commence pairing. 



The number of young belonging to a nest varies from five to ten ; and 

 we found young ones early in August. They were very small, about the size 

 of a Quail ; whilst others were quite as large as their parents. 



We did not succeed in finding any eggs : only on one occasion my 

 companion discovered a nest with some broken shells in it, which evidently 

 belonged to the present species ; and according to the fragments the eggs 

 are larger than those of the common Hen, of a dirty white, shaded with 

 green, and marked on the smaller end with some blackish-brown spots. 



Both parent birds accompany the brood. Whilst the young are small^ 

 they crouch on the approach of danger, or try to hide themselves between 

 the loose stones, whilst the old ones keep on running within about twenty 

 paces from the sportsman ; but when they are full-grown they try to escape 

 by running, and follow the cock and hen which are leading the whole flock. 

 When much pressed, however, they fly, and do not alight on the ground 

 again uutil they have crossed a cleft. 



These birds are very wild, and when alone the old birds do not allow 

 themselves to be approached within a hundred paces. They hide themselves 

 between#stones, and usually spring up and take to flight, or else try to run, 

 which they do so fast that a man cannot catch them. 



We noticed that when they are approached from the bottom of a hill 



