SAND PARTRIDGE 
Ammoperdix heyi 
The colour of the upper plumage on body is so delicate 
in quality that it is hard to say if it should be called a lilac 
grey or pinky grey, whilst in certain lights it might be called 
a sandy brown; the head is, with the cheeks, neck, and breast, 
a pearly pink; the flanks are barred with rich chestnut and 
black on a warm white breast ; white on the ear coverts and 
a white spot in front of the eye in the variety known as 
Cholmondely ; legs yellow; eyes brown; beak a brilliant 
orange. The hen bird is without the bright chestnut bars 
on the flanks, and is altogether a paler-coloured greyish-buff, 
and without white on the face. Total length, 9 inches. 
Tuis is a resident Egyptian bird, and I include 
it in my list because, though the traveller up 
the Nile may not see it, any who go across 
the desert around the Pyramid district, and even 
those who journey only a little out of Assoan, 
ought quite certainly to come across it. It is a 
most charming, lively little bird, bustling about ; 
you rarely see it quiet for long, even in January 
it still keeps in coveys, and they go running along 
in and out of the boulders, and, if on a hillside, 
they are very quick and agile in hopping high up 
on to the rocks above them. They very seldom 
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