GAME BIRDS OF INDIA AND ASIA. 167 



ed with a black patch, and contrasting with the 

 grey head and breast ; the breast is bordered below 

 by a narrow black band, below which is a broad 

 belt of cream-colour, the rest of the under-parts 

 being black. The same black under-parts preceded 

 by a cream belt are found in the hen, but her general 

 plumage is very different, being buff, mottled with 

 black. The bill and feet are grey, and the eyelids 

 yellow. 



The Black-bellied Sand-grouse is only a winter 

 bird in India, and especially affects the extreme 

 north-west, associating in enormous numbers on 

 large sandy plains. Outside India it ranges west 

 through Asia, North Africa, and Southern Europe, 

 to the Canary Islands. It only breeds west of India 

 as far as is known, though eggs have been taken 

 as near as Southern Afghanistan in May ; they are 

 dull light buff, marked with light brown and dull 

 lilac. 



Coronetted Sand-Grouse. 



Pterocles coronatus, Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, 

 Vol. IV, p. 57- 



This species, only found with us in Sind west of 

 the Indus, is very like the spotted Pin-tailed Sand- 

 grouse in general appearance, but has not the long 

 centre tail-feathers ; the cock also has black marks 

 on face and throat, and the hen is barred rather 

 than spotted. Outside India this bird extends 

 west to North-East Africa : eggs have been taken to 

 Afghanistan, and are greyish white, scantily spotted 

 with pale brown. 



