Pallas' Sand-Grouse. ^'^ 



in clap nets, sweeping the ground from snow, and strewing it with small beans, 

 when a large flock would descend into the snare, and might be taken at one fall 

 of the net. Those killed in England were found to have fed on the seeds of 

 weeds, such as the chick weed and the common grass weed, Poa annua. The 

 Rev. H. A. Macpherson, ascertained that, during the earlier portion of their stay, 

 these birds fed principally on the seeds of clover, turnip, and rye. Later in the 

 year they glutted themselves on the seeds of the corn spurrey, {Spergularia arvensis). 

 In confinement, these Sand-Grouse thrived upon canary seed, and, losing their 

 timidity, became delightful pets. 



The general colour of the plumage may be described as sandy, barred with 

 black or brown, the head being a rather brighter orange. There is a narrow 

 band of black-edged feathers on the breast, and a darker and broader one across 

 the abdomen, and the back is marked with black and dark bars. The tail is 

 formed of sixteen feathers, the central pair of which is exceedingly elongated and 

 pointed at the tip. The extreme length of the male is about fifteen inches, the 

 female being somewhat smaller and duller in colour, and the weight of the bird 

 is from ten-and-a-half to eleven ounces. The legs are very short and covered 

 with bufif feathers to the extremity of the toes, which are so closely bound together 

 that the name Syrrhaptes, signifying sewn or stitched together, was given to the 

 genus. The engravings show both upper and under surface of the foot, the toes 

 being connected by a leathery pad, covered with warty prominences, such as is 

 found in no other bird ever seen in Great Britain. The eggs are dull olive, with 

 dark brown spots, and thus well protected from observation when laid on the sand. 



The birds during their stay in this country laid repeatedly, and in some 

 instances hatched their young, one of which, possibly the only example that ever 

 came in a fresh state under the notice of a competent naturalist, was delivered to 

 Professor Newton, in August, 1889. This was described by him in the minutest 

 detail in the " Ibis " for 1890. Before the bird was skinned he sent it to Mr. 

 Frohawk, who made for the "Ibis" the exceedingly admirable drawing of the 

 young bird, which I have much pleasure in reproducing. The distinction between 

 the young of the Sand-Grouse andj that of any other English species is well 

 marked, and the extraordinary character of the feet is admirably shown in the 

 drawing of the dead chick. As the bird had been dead some hours, the expression 

 of the head must be regarded as being somewhat imaginary. It may be interesting 

 to know that the lighter ground is cream colour, and the darker rich brown. 



The cause of the migration of this species, in large numbers, and at distant 

 intervals, is entirely unknown, although it has been suggested that it arises from 

 their greatly increasing numbers, as they breed in the desert in countless thousands, 



Vol IV. 2 N 



