310 



under tail-coverts creamy white, but black at the base : bill bluish horn ; feet blackish brown ; iris 

 brown. Total length about 12 - 5 inches, culmen 065, wing 8'0, tail 5 - 75, tarsus 1*1. 



Adult Female (Sind, Juue). Crown, nape, and upper parts generally pale isabelline, spotted with black; 

 sides of the head below the eye, chin, and upper throat ochreous ; lower throat and breast isabelline, 

 spotted with black ; rest of the underparts as in the male. Wing 7'3 inches, tail 4"2, tarsus 1"05. 



Young Male (Kotri, Sind) . Resembles the female, but is not spotted on the upper part, but irregularly 

 marked and marbled with black, the nape, back, and rump very little marked ; the ochreous on the 

 throat is paler, and the lower throat and breast are unspotted; the median tail-feathers are pale 

 isabelline, barred with black, and not elongated or attenuated. 



The present species, which, like P. coronatus, can only be included as a rare visitant to the 

 southern portion of the Western Palsearctic area in North Africa, inhabits North Africa, ranging 

 eastward through Arabia to N.W. India. 



Canon Tristram speaks of it (Ibis, 1860, p. 71) as being confined to the extreme south of 

 the Sahara, where it was more plentiful than P. coronatus ; Dr. Taczanowski records it (J. f. O. 

 1870, p. 51) as common in the desert region of the province of Constantine in Algeria; and 

 Dr. Koenig (J. f. O. 1893, p. 74) met with it near Biskra, where, he believes, it breeds. 

 Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker informs me that he found it plentiful at Sidi-Okbar, near Biskra, and met 

 with large flocks in the spring coming to drink at the river near that place. He also (Ibis, 

 1895, p. 105) records it from Tunis, and says that his collectors obtained specimens about the 

 end of March at Tarfaoui to the N.W. of the Chott. He did not, he informs me, meet with it 

 further north than Gafsa. It occurs in Egypt, but does not appear to be common, and is found 

 in Nubia. Capt. Speke (Ibis, 1860, p. 247) says that it is found in large flocks in the Somali 

 country ; and Von Heuglin records it as found in Arabia Petraea. In Palestine it is, according 

 to Canon Tristram (Faun. & Flor. of Palestine, p. 122), the most universally distributed Sand- 

 Grouse on all sides of Palestine, and the only one which actually breeds in the Jordan Valley. 

 It is scattered all over the highlands of Moab, where he obtained specimens in the spring. He 

 also states that it occurs in Arabia and the deserts west of the Tigris. 



In the British Museum there are specimens from Bagdad, Mesopotamia, and Persia ; and 

 Mr. Blanford, who does not appear to have met with it in Persia, says that it is not so common 

 in Baluchistan as in Sind. Col. Swinhoe, who (Ibis, 1882, p. 119) records it from Southern 

 Afghanistan, says that he never met with it above the Bolan Pass, but it was common at 

 Pirchowky and in all that part of the country below the range of mountains. 



In India, according to Mr. Hume (Stray Feathers, vii. p. 161), it occurs west of 73° E. long., 

 and as far north as 33° N. lat. It is extremely abundant and resident in the semidesert portions 

 of Sind, where it breeds, but elsewhere is only a cold-weather visitant. He also records it (op. cit. 

 iv. p. 4) as occurring "in Northern Guzerat, along the shores of the Runn. I obtained it near 

 Soeegam (about 50 miles due west of Deesa) ; and Mr. James has recently met with it near 

 Patree. Throughout Sind it is very common in suitable localities ; it has been sent from Cutch 

 and Northern Kattiawar, but only as yet from the neighbourhood of the Jtunn." Mr. E. A. Butler 

 received it from Pokurun, about 70 miles north-east of Jodhpoor, and he subsequently (oj). cit. v. 

 p. 222) shot one or two at Rajoo, about 90 miles S.W. of Deesa. 



