56 



PTEEOCLETES.— PTEROCLID^. 



(i.) With tail-feathers graduated. 



1. Fterocles arenarius. The Large or Black-bellied Sand-Grouse. 



^renariMS_= pertaining to sand, arena. 



Bhut-titur, Buk-tit, Upper India; Banchur, Peshawar; Siahsin (Persian), Kliorassan; 

 Bagrikara (Turkish), N. Persia. 



Jerome, Khojak, 1879. 



a^ 13J" to 14f"; 18 oz. 2 13" to 14". Legs dull yell-ow. Bill bluish. Central 

 tail-feathers slightly lengthened, tipped dark grey, the others tipped white. 

 Primaries slate, with black shafts. Abdomen and breast-band black. — Male 

 above mottled ashy and fulvous. Orange wing-band. Chin deep chestnut. Black 

 triangle on throat. Breast fawn, unspotted. — Female : Breast, head, and above 

 fulvous, banded brown. Chin fulvous, with black edges and specks. 



Kange from Canary Islands and Spain through N. Africa and S.W. Asia to 

 Turkestan. Cold-weather migrant to N.W. India, arriving about end of September 

 and leaving in March. Eggs (1-85 x 1-33) found in S. Afghanistan in May. 

 (J. 799. B. 1316. 0. 5.) 



Also P. decoratus, the Bridled S.G. from E. Africa, <J 8-8", 9 8-6"; and P. variegatus, the 

 Variegated S.G. from S. Africa, <J 9-8", 9 9-8". (O.G. 17.) 



2. Pterocles fasciatus. The Painted Sand-Grouse. 



Fascia (no perf.), atum=to swathe or envelop in bands. 



Bhut-titur, Bhut-bur, N.W.P.; Paiki, Belgaum; Handeri, S. India; Pokundi 

 (Marathi); Kal gowjal haki (Kanareae), Mysore; Sonda polanka (Telugu). 



S 10|" to 11^"; 6 to 7J oz. 2 10" to lOJ". Legs dull yellow. Bill red. 

 Primaries brown-black, with pale edgings, shaft of first quill white. Abdomen 

 black, with crescentic white marks. Under-tail and tarsus barred. Throat un- 

 spotted. — Male above yellow, banded brown. Four stripes on forehead. Triple 

 breast-band. Wing-coverts banded black, edged white. — Female : No pectoral 

 band. Breast and above finely barred. Abdomen and feet finely barred, chocolate 

 and cream-white (see Frontispiece). 



