PTEROCLES GUTTATUS, Uckt. 



Spotted Sand Grouse. 



Gelinotte du Senegal, Buff. PI. Enl. 130. 



Pterocles guttatus, Licht. Verz. der Doubl., p. 64.— Wagl. Syst. Av. Pterocles, sp. 8.— Temm. PL Col. 345. 



The Pterocles guttatus is another beautiful Sand Grouse, which, like the P. coronatus, would seem to frequent 

 countries of a similar character on both sides of the Red Sea, for M. Temminck informs us that numerous 

 individuals were procured in the centre of Egypt both by the Prussian naturalists and by Dr. Riippell of 

 Frankfort, and that he has seen others from the coasts of Barbary ; but considers it very doubtful if it be 

 found at Senegal, as indicated by BufFon. My figures were taken from specimens killed by Lord Robert 

 Clinton in Arabia, which country is, I believe, the most eastern locality wherein it has yet been found. Examples 

 of both sexes may be seen in the Museums at Leyden, Berlin, Vienna, and Frankfort on the Maine. 



Of the habits and economy of the Pterocles guttatus no account has yet been given by any one ; they 

 doubtless resemble those of the other members of the family. 



The male has the crown of the head and the general plumage sandy buff, with the basal portion of the 

 scapularies, greater wing-coverts and secondaries dark brown ; lores and a broad band encircling the back 

 of the head grey; cheeks, ear-coverts and throat rich orange-yellow; breast conspicuously washed with 

 grey ; down the centre of the abdomen a streak of black ; primaries blackish brown, broadly margined 

 with sandy buff; centre tail-feathers sandy buff, their apical half black ; lateral tail-feathers greyish brown, 

 crossed by a broad band of black near the extremity, and largely tipped with white ; bill and feet lead-colour. 



The female has the cheeks and throat light orange-yellow ; the general plumage sandy buff, numerously 

 spotted with various-sized spots of brown ; wing-coverts stained with chestnut ; primaries dark brown, 

 largely margined with sandy buff; two central tail-feathers sandy buff, freckled with brown at the base, and 

 dark brown for their apical half; remainder of the tail-feathers greyish brown on their inner webs, sandy buff 

 on their outer webs, crossed by a broad band of brownish black near the extremity, and tipped with buffy 

 white ; under surface sandy buff, the breast thickly and regularly spotted with oblong spots of brown, placed 

 across and near the extremity of the feathers ; down the centre of the abdomen a streak of black. 



The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size 



