The New British Sand-Gh-ouse. 209 



to Tientsin, in the end of August, not a bird was to be seen ; 

 and as far as I could learn they had only just begun to appear 

 at Tientsin when we arrived there, on our return, in the begin- 

 ning of November. Their food must consist of the grain 

 (millet) that covers the whole of that part of China, and I 

 should mention that I fed them on millet the whole way 

 home. The temperature at the time the birds first began to be 

 seen was about 20° Fahr., and later on considerably lower ; and 

 on the day we finally steamed down through the ice, which 

 covered the Peiho for fifty miles of its course, the temperature 

 was as low as 10° Fahr., and the grouse were in large flocks on 

 each side." 



One of these birds, after its arrival in the Regent's Park, 

 laid a single egg, which is now in the cabinet of Mr. Alfred 

 Newton, by whom it was figured and described in the Pro- 

 ceedings of the Zoological Society for 1861, p. 397, pi. 39, fig. 1. 

 Mr. Newton, who saw it a, very few hours after it had been 

 laid, says that the colour was then very brilliant, brown spots 

 showing vmrmly against a fresh sea-green ground ; a descrip- 

 tion differing in the ground tint from that given by M. Dela- 

 none. It Was placed in an incubator, but was shortly after 

 found to be cracked. The only eggs of the Syrrhaptes previously 

 known to exist in any collection, were stated to have been ob- 

 tained by Herr Radde, in Eastern Siberia, and are now in St. 

 Petersburg. 



Several living specimens were also brought home from 

 China by J. R. Dyce, Esq., Royal Artillery, and were presented 

 to the late Prince Consort, who had them placed in a portion of 

 the royal aviary, specially constructed for them, and in every 

 way adapted to their habits. Dr. Buckland, speaking of these 

 birds, says that they have, in spite of every care and attention, 

 never shown any sign of breeding. Mr. Bartlett believes they 

 would breed in this country if allowed to remain undisturbed 

 in a wild state, though they will not breed in captivity. The 

 birds observed for so long a period near Stockton, seem to have 

 had the best chance of breeding, but no discovery of eggs or 

 young has yet been recorded. Possibly an egg or two may yet 

 be discovered strung among the treasures of some cottage 

 urchin. 



In conclusion, I may remark that the genus Syrrhaptes, 

 as far as yet known, consists of only one other species, which 

 was discovered by Lord Lilford, by whom it was met with on 

 the banks of the Tsumureri Lake, in the country of Ladakh. 

 He obtained no information as to its habits, and only one other 

 specimen came under his observation. It was described by 

 Mr. Gould, in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society for 

 May^ 14, 1850, and afterwards figured in his great work on 



