LARGE SAND-GROUSE. ® 



In tins genus the sexes differ in plumage, the males being more 

 uniformly colored, and the females more or less spotted or barred, 

 They are found both in Asia and Africa, one or two species being 

 occasionally killed in the South of Europe. These are the birds 

 termed Rock-pigeons by sportsmen in India. Blyth* retains for 

 them the popular name of ' GangaJ given them originally by Buffon, 

 but it is by no means generally known, and I prefer calling them 

 Bock or Sand-grouse, albeit not very closely related to the true 

 Grouse. 



They sub-divide into two groups, the one with the tail-feathers 

 regularly graduated, restricted Pterocles, apud Bonaparte; the other 

 with the medial rectrices lengthened and attenuated, Pteroclurus, 

 Bonaparte. 



1. With the tail-feathers regularly graduated, not elongated. 



1. Pterocles arenarius, Pallas. 



Tetrao, apud Pallas — Temminck, PI. col. 354 and 360— 

 Blyth, Gat. 1489 — Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 257— Perdix 

 arragonica, Latham. — Bukht-titar, Bur-titav, BaMit-tit, BuJdit, 

 Buhht, //., in various parts of the country ; also Ban-chur — -Kurmov 

 at Peshawur (from its cry.) 



The Large Sand-grouse. 



Dascr. — Male, crown and middle of the nape brownish-grey 

 with a pinkish tinge ; rest ,of the upper parts mingled ashy and 

 fulvous, each feather being bluish ashy in the middle, edged with 

 fulvous, giving a mottled appearance ; greater wing-coverts plain 

 ochreous or orange buff, and the median coverts also broadly edged 

 with the same ; quills and primary coverts dark slaty, with black 

 shafts : tail, as the back, fulvous, with black and ashy bands ; 

 all the lateral tail-feathers tipped with white ; beneath, the 

 chin is deep chesnut, passing as a band, under the ear-coverts 

 to the nape ; and below this, on the middle of the throat, is a small 

 triangular patch of black ; the breast and sides of the neck dull 

 ashy, tinged with fulvous, with a narrow band of black on the 

 breast; abdomen and vent deep black, under tail-coverts black, 

 with white margins to the feathers ; tarsal plumes pale yellowish, 



• * Bengal Sporting Review, 



