422 BRITISH BIRDS. 



distances of tens of miles, especially in the mornings between 9 and 

 10 o'clock; but after 12 at noon they seldom visit these spots." 



In autumn they collect into large flocks, which, if the winter be mild, 

 remain at no great distance from their breeding-grounds ; but a heavy fall 

 of snow will often compel them to migrate to greater distances. Swinhoe 

 says that in North China they are sometimes caught in great numbers by 

 the natives, who clear the snow from a patch of ground, into which they 

 tempt the Sand-Grouse with small green beans, occasionally capturing a 

 whole flock in their clap-nets. The note of this bird is described as a 

 rather melodious chuckle, which is uttered both on the wing and on the 

 ground. 



The general colour of the upper parts of the adult male of Pallas's Sand- 

 Grouse is sandy buff or isabelline ; the back, scapulars, innermost secon- 

 daries, rump, and upper tail-coverts, the two centre tail-feathers, and the 

 inner webs of the remainder are transversely barred with very dark brown. 

 The primaries are lavender, with black shafts, and the secondaries are 

 dark brown on the outside webs and pale bufif on the inside webs, as are 

 also the primary-coverts ; the outer webs of the tail-feathers, except the 

 two centre ones, are narrowly edged and broadly tipped with buff. An 

 obscure ring round the neck and the ear-coverts are yellowish orange. 

 The general colour of the underparts is sandy buff, paler on the chin, 

 thighs, and under tail-coverts. The feathers of the upper breast have 

 narrow dark-brown tips ; the lower breast and belly is dark brown ; the 

 axillaries are bufiish white, tipped with brown. Bill and claws brown; 

 irides dark brown. The female differs from the male in having the 

 barring on the back more obscure and extending onto the hind neck and 

 crown ; the yellowish orange on the head and neck is paler, and bounded 

 on the throat with a black margin ; the dark band across the breast is 

 entirely absent ; and the outside primaries and centre tail-feathers are not 

 so elongated. The young male has the barring on the back intermediate 

 between that on the adult male and female ; but in other respects it 

 resembles the female. 



Pallas's Sand-Grouse is a very highly specialized bird. The first 

 primary in each wing and the two centre tail-feathers are prolonged 

 into a very fine point in an extraordinary manner. The toes, which are 

 feathered on the upper surface as well as the tarsus, are united together 

 into a broad pad, ornamented with three claws and granulated underneath. 



