GROUS. 



251 



The female is paler above, and more variegated ; wants the black 

 throat, and the two middle tail feathers are shorter in proportion ; 

 on the throat are two transverse lines of black, bounding the upper 

 part of the orange-colour. 



The young of this species is in general undulated all over with 

 pale, rufous, and black ; breast fine rufous, bounded above and 

 below with a narrow line of black ; belly, vent, and thighs white ; 

 quills dusky. 



In the Mountains of Belka, Kerek, Djabal, and Shera, in Syria, 

 the bird Kata is met with in immense numbers ; they fly in such 

 large flocks, that the Arab boys often kill two or three at a time, 

 merely by throwing a stick among them. The eggs, which they 

 lay on the ground, are collected by the Arabs. Mr. Burchard thinks 

 this to be the Seloua, or Quail, of the Children of Israel.* 



The Pintailed Species inhabits most of the warmer parts of 

 Europe, as the South of France, Spain, and Italy ; likewise Africa, 

 Barbary, and Senegal, and some parts of Asia; and is a most 

 beautiful bird. A few are at all times to be met with at Aleppo; 

 and in the Deserts of Arabia and Syria are in such plenty, in May 

 and June, that at one draw of a net, as many have been caught as 

 would load an ass; but they are not esteemed as food, the flesh being- 

 hard and dry, so that the Europeans never eat them. 



18 .— NAMAQUA GROUS. 



Tetrao Namaqua, Ind. Orn. ii. 642. Gm. Lin. i. 754. Sparrm. Voy. i. p. 153. 

 Pterocles Tachy petes, Temm. Pig. 8vo. iii. 274. 

 Namaqua Grous, Gen. Syn. iv. 750. Id. Sup. 215. 



LENGTH almost twelve inches. Bill dusky; head, neck, and 

 breast, cinereous grey, inclining to rufous on the sides of the head 

 and throat ; on the upper part of the breast a narrow crescent of 



* Burchard'' s Travels in Syria, p. 406. 

 K k2 



