58 



Syrrhaptes Paradoxus — Three-toed or Pallas Sand Grouse. 

 By Robert Embleton, Surgeon. 



This hitherto rare visitant, has this year been met with, 

 from CornAvall to Northumberland, in flocks from 10 to 20 ; 

 the cause of their migration in such numbers is diiRcult to 

 account for. In 1860 they were observed in England for the 

 first time, but only in two localities. In the deserts bordering 

 the Caspian and Oral Seas, they are found in immense num- 

 bers ; and in China they are equally abundant. The speci- 

 mens in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London, were 

 brought from China, by the Hon. J. F. Stuart Wortley, on the 

 return of Lord Elgin's embassy ; all attempts to propagate 

 the species in this country, have hitherto failed. The speci- 

 men I now exhibit, was one of a flock of 14, which have been 

 in my neighbourhood for several days, and are still there, but 

 very diflicult to approach. Another specimen belonging to 

 another covey of 10, was captured alive by Mr Fordy, of 

 Tuggal Mill, apparently exhausted from the loss of blood, 

 caused by a parasitic insect on the back of the neck, and 

 which resembled most closely the Goniodes chelicornis of 

 Denny's monograph. The feet are small, and the hind toe 

 wanting. ■ The front toes are united together, and form a 

 broad flat foot, the sole of which is thickly covered with 

 strong horny papillse, and terminate in broad and flattened 

 nails. Their food seems chiefly to consist of the seeds of the 

 genus Plantago ; in China the millet fields are their usual 

 haunt. 



Miscellanea Zoologica et Botanica. By Robert Embleton, 

 Surgeon. 



Echinus neglectus. Silhj spined Egg Urchin. Forbes' 

 Brit. Echinodermata, p. 172. This addition to our list of 

 this class, was dredged in Holy Island Bay during this sum- 

 mer, in considerable numbers by two gentlemen from New- 

 castle. 



EscHARA Landsboroughii. The species which in a 

 former number of our transactions, is named E. foliacea, has 

 been determined by Mr Alder, of Newcastle, to be a new ad- 

 dition to our Fauna, and he has named it after the Rev. Mr 

 Landsborough, so well known in this department. The 

 specimen is now in the Newcastle Museum. 



