428 



there. In North-western Africa it is stated to be a partial migrant. Loche says that it is only 

 met with in the extreme south of Algeria ; and Canon Tristram, who met with it in the Sahara, 

 remarks (Ibis, 1860, p. 79) that, from the small number he observed in winter, he believes that 

 even in the southern desert the greater portion migrate. Mr. O. Salvin writes (Ibis, 1859, p. 354) 

 as follows : — " It was not until the end of June that I met with this bird. We had just broken 

 up our final camp at Zana and were returning by way of the Caravanserai of Ain Yacoute to 

 Constantine, when, a short distance from the former place, we encountered a small flock in one 

 of the undulating and sterile plains through which the high road to Batna and Biskra runs. 

 The birds showed little symptoms of fear, and ran before our horses, or flew round our heads. 

 At the time we thought they were not breeding there ; but, as they were all in full adult plumage, 

 I have since considered that they were there for no other purpose. The fact was, our faces were 

 set homewards, and it was difficult to stop, even for the eggs of the Cream-coloured Courser." 

 According to Colonel Irby (Orn. Str. Gibr. p. 155), Favier says that the present species " appears 

 annually during July in some numbers on the plains of Sharf el Akab, not very far from Tangier. 

 Their stay there and their numbers vary according to the abundance or scarcity of insects, and 

 also with the temperature; for unless the latter is favourable, they are rarely met with, and 

 none were seen during the year 1854. They leave these plains in August or the first part of 

 September. Early in summer they ought to be found nesting near Sharf el Akab, as in May 

 1847 a male was brought to me by a chasseur, who rescued it from a Falcon which had struck 

 it down." It is also met with in the Canaries, where, Dr. Carl Bolle states (J. f. 0. 1857, p. 335), 

 it is tolerably common in the south-eastern portion of Gran Canaria, and is numerous in the 

 bare plains between Juan grande and Aguimes and thence to Telde. In the vicinity of the 

 Grando he saw parties of five and six individuals ; and there they were quite numerous ; but in 

 June he only once observed it between Aguimes and Valesquillo. He also met with it at 

 Lanzarote and in the vicinity of Olivia, in Northern Fuerteventura, in which latter place it was 

 common. 



To the eastward the present species ranges as far as the desert portion of North-western 

 India. De Filippi obtained it on the plain of Sainkale ; and Mr. Blanford, who obtained 

 specimens at Saadatabad, in Persia, and at Gwadar, in Baluchistan, says that, though not 

 common, it was noticed now and then throughout the country. Mr. Hume writes (Stray 

 Feathers, i. p. 228) that it was met with, though sparingly, in Sindh, in all suitable localities — 

 sandy wastes, especially in the neighbourhood of cultivation. They are permanent residents 

 and breed in Sindh, as they do in suitable localities in the northern and western districts of the 

 Punjab, and almost throughout Rajpootana. Mr. Adam also, in his notes on the birds of the 

 Sambhur Lake, writes that " it is very abundant all over the sandy plains during the cold 

 weather. On the approach of the hot weather it disappears, and, I believe, goes further west or 

 north to breed. I have sent three parties in three different years to obtain the eggs, but have 

 never succeeded. There is a great difference in the colour of the birds ; some are very pale, 

 while others are very deeply coloured. Mr. Hume has obtained large numbers of the eggs from 

 the Sirsa district, where C. coromandelicus is unknown." It does not appear to occur further 

 to the eastward than above recorded ; for Severtzoff did not meet with it in Turkestan, where so 

 many desert-birds occur. 



