314 



Major Loche includes it as found in Algeria, and Canon Tristram says (Ibis, 1860, p. 71) 

 that it is " confined to the more southern portions of the Sahara, where it supplants the first 

 species (P. arenarius). It is a much smaller bird. I found it only in very small companies of 

 four or five ; but this may be owing to the extreme scarcity of plants in the district where 

 it roams. The egg is of an ashy white, with a few almost obliterated pale brown markings." 

 Mr. Spatz met with it in Southern Tunis, where it was also obtained by Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker, 

 who writes (Ibis, 1894, p. 97) as follows : — " During my journey I met with it only at one place, 

 viz. at Oglet-Alima, between Gafsa and Tamerza, where it was plentiful, coming in flocks of from 

 ten to fifty birds to drink at the water-holes made by the Arabs in the dry river-beds. I saw it 

 first on the 12th March, when the flight commenced about 7 a.m. and lasted till nearly 10 o'clock, 

 after which hour the birds disappeared. During the remainder of the day I only met with an 

 occasional straggler on the plains near Oglet-Alima, and think the bulk of the birds must have 

 gone further south towards the desert, nor did they return to drink here in the evening. The 

 following morning, however, they were at the water-holes again in full force. They are very 

 strong on the wing, and fly at a considerable height, uttering a loud clucking note all the time, 

 something like that of the Common Fowl. So loud is the note, and so high do the birds fly, that 

 they can often be distinctly heard when scarcely visible to the naked eye. Though very shy 

 and difficult to approach, they do not leave the neighbourhood when disturbed, but return 

 to the water-holes, or their immediate vicinity, till the hour arrives for their departure. As in 

 P. arenarius, their feathers lie very closely together, necessitating heavy shot to bring them 

 down. I secured fourteen specimens in all between males and females. The flesh of this Sand- 

 Grouse is excellent eating, and not at all dry or tasteless, the breast having dark and light meat, 

 the same as Blackgame. 



" I was unable to ascertain whether this species breeds in the district in which I found it, 

 but think it not unlikely." 



Mr. L. Alessi says (J. f. O. 1892, p. 316) that he met with it in the spring of 1892 on his 

 journey to Nefzeona and Djerid, and also obtained its eggs. 



In Egypt and Nubia it is, according to Capt. Shelley, rare, and does not, so far as he knows, 

 come into the Delta; and Von Heuglin states (Orn. N.O.-Afr. p. 864) that "From Southern 

 Egypt, along the Nile valley, to about 16° N. lat., this Sand-Grouse is found in large flocks. It 

 is generally met with in the depressions in the true desert, where steppe grass or dwarf thorn or 

 palm bushes are found, on stone-heaps, amongst the rocks in dried-up places where rain-pools 

 have stood, on the caravan-roads, and near the wells in the desert, even on rocky islets and 

 dunes in or near the river, but never too far from their drinking-places. . . . Antinori refers to 

 the occurrence of this species in Kordofan, and also at Cairo, but we did not meet with it further 

 north than Kalabscheh and Korosko, but eastward as far as the oasis of El Kab." 



Dr. Leith Adams met with it at the Second Cataract; and Mr. S. Stafford Allen states (Ibis, 

 1864, p. 240) that he shot a pair at El Kab. According to Mr. C. W. Wyatt (Ibis, 1870, p. 16) 

 it frequents the plain of El Gaa and the marshes near Tor (Sinai), and is very shy and difficult 

 to approach. Col. Miles obtained specimens at Muscat in Arabia, and it is found northward, 

 according to Canon Tristram (Faun. & Flor. Palest, p. 122), in the Syrian desert, but is very 

 rare there. 



