ELEMENTS OE OENITHOLOGT. 



Grrouse that their English name is misleading. They constitute : 

 the two genera termed Pterocles and Sytrhccptes. The one which ' 

 is found in Spain (Pterocles arenarius) may be considered the 

 type. These Birds are inhabitants of Asia and Africa, but one 

 species, Pallas's Sand-grouse (Syrrhaptes par adocms), sometimeB 



Pallas's Sand-grouse {Byrrhaptes paradoxus). 



migrates to Europe and into our own country. It first did so in 

 very large numbers in 1863, and it seemed as if it would 

 become a truly British Bird — a very interesting fact as bearing I 

 upon the general question of the geographical distribution ot\ 

 species. Nevertheless it has now disappeared. ■ 



A certain superficial resemblance, at the least, has been recog- 

 nized as existing amongst all the Birds which have been as yet 

 herein noticed by us. As the type of this assemblage may be 

 taken that form yith which we started, the Fowl; and as the 

 generic name of the Eowl is Oallus, this whole assemblage or 

 group of species have been, and still are, very commonly spoken; 

 of as Gallinaceous Birds. 



Only less familiar than the Common Fowl is the Pigeon, which 

 forms the type of another smaller, though still considerable, 

 group of very attractive Birds, the close resemblance of which 

 to one another must strike the most casual observer. They are 

 fruit-eating and grain-eating, monogamous Birds, of which there 

 are about 360 different species. Their geographical head- 

 quarters are in and near New G-uinea. About 120 species are 

 found in the Indian Archipelago, while less than a quarter of 

 that number exist either in the continent of India or Australia. 

 Above 40 species are African, while at least 80 exist in either 

 North or South America. 



