PALLAS'S SAND-GROUSE. 421 



are irregular, sometimes almost fantastic in shape, and vary in size from 

 that of a small pea to a mere speck. The eggs vary in length from 1"8 

 to 1'6 inch, and in breadth from 1-2 to 1-1 inch*. 



These birds breed in small colonies scattered over the salt-plains ; and 

 on their arrival in spring they are generally seen flying in small strings or 

 skeins. After the breeding-season has begun, as soon as the sun has risen 

 high enough to make it safe to leave their eggs, they may be seen flying in 

 pairs to drink on the margin of a lake, where considerable numbers often 

 accumulate, but afterwards disperse to feed before returning to their nests. 

 Two broods are usually reared during the season ; and the young are able 

 to run and take care of themselves as soon as they are hatched. The 

 female does not appear to be a very close sitter, but leaves her eggs on the 

 approach of danger, as Plovers do, trusting to their protective colour for 

 their security. 



In the middle of the hot summer they may often be seen basking in the 

 sun about noon, in small parties consisting of one or more pairs. They 

 scratch a hole in the salty sand and lie slightly on one side, with pufied-out 

 plumage, as is the custom of many other Game Birds. If disturbed, they 

 utter a cry as they rise and fly away with great rapidity, their wings making 

 a peculiar noise. The swiftness of their flight is said almost to surpass that 

 of the Falcons. On the ground their short legs cause them to run some- 

 what clumsily, with short steps, and with the body swaying from side to 

 side as they feed. 



The food of Pallas's Sand-Grouse consists principally of the seeds and 

 young shoots of the peculiar plants that grow on the salt-plains. It is a 

 very shy and timid bird and difficult of approach. 



Prjevalsky writes : — " After their morning feed the flocks betake them- 

 selves to some well or salt-lake to drink, apparently preferring the fresh to 

 the salt water. At the drinking-place, as well as at the feeding-places, 

 these birds never settle on the ground without first describing a circle, in 

 order to assure themselves that there is no danger. On alighting, they 

 hastily drink and rise again ; and, in cases where the flocks are large, the 

 birds in front get up before those at the back have time to alight. They 

 know their drinking-places very well, and very often go to them from 



* It would be as absurd to base a classification of birds on their eggs alone, as it would ' 

 be to do so on any otber single character. The oology and myology, the nervous system 

 and digestive organs, the pterylosis, the form of the sternum, and the modifications of the 

 cranial bones may all be very important characters, but we are absolutely ignorant of 

 their relative importance. No classification based upon one only of these characters can 

 be of any value ; but the fact that the eggs of the Sand-Grouse and the Hemipodes differ 

 from those of Game Birds in having two sets of spots (underlying as well as surface), but 

 agree vrith the Plovers in this respect, is an argument, as far as it goes, for regarding the 

 Sand-Grouse and Hemipodes as more nearly allied to the Plovers than to the Game Birds, 



