GAME BIRDS OF INDIA AND ASIA. 163 



They feed chiefly on seeds and herbage, go to 

 water twice a day, and lay their three spotted eggs, 

 which are elliptical, long and equally rounded at 

 both ends, on the ground without a nest ; both 

 cock and hen sit on them. The spotting of the 

 eggs is in two shades, as in many plovers, wliere- 

 as those of the true game-birds only have one set 

 of spots. The young are active at once, like 

 game-chicks, but their down' is of a different 

 character, laeing in tiny tufts, not uniformly 

 fluffy, and it is marbled in pattern instead of 

 streaked. In two cases at least the parents • bring 

 the chicks water by soaking their breast feathers 

 in it and then letting the young suck it off — a 

 habit unique among birds. Sand-grouse are, 

 generally speaking, of much about the same size 

 — that of a common dove, though two or three are 

 as large as pigeons. Beyond, specifying these, 

 therefore, I have not thought it worth while to 

 give dimensions. 



The Sand-grouse occurring in the Indian empire 

 do not range east of the Bay of Bengal, they are 

 divided into three genera : — 



The ordinary Sand-grouse (Pierocles) with short- 

 pointed tails (6 species). 



The Pin-tailed Sand-grouse (Pieroclurus) which 

 only differ in having the two centre tail-feathers 

 long and pointed (3 species). 



The Three-toed Sand-grouse (Syrrhaptes), which 

 are much more distinct, having only three toes, 

 very broad, .short and feathered like, the legs. (One 

 species). It is as well to begin with the Pin-tailed 

 group, as one of these is the comrnonest and best 

 known of the family in India. 



