THE THIBETAN SAND-GROUSE. 45 



Early in the morning, and quite at dusk, they come down 

 to the water to drink ; by preference to fresh water, but, as at 

 the Tso-Khar, at times to quite brackish water. 



They are always noisy birds when moving about, uttering a 

 call something like guk, guk, to my ear, or again, as some people 

 syllable it, " yak-yak," " caga-caga," &c, &c, but they are 

 specially noisy in the evenings, when they come down to drink ; 

 and quite late in the evening, when wearied with the day's 

 tramp in those high regions, dinner discussed, and the peaceful 

 pipe achieved, one turns in for the night, their characteristic 

 double cry may still be heard round the tents, pitched always, 

 of course, when possible, near water. 



It is many years since Mountaineer personally dealt with this 

 species, and all he can now remember of their habits is, that they 

 " are met with in pairs, sometimes singly, and also in flocks of 

 half a dozen or a dozen, on the hills and upland plains, at from 

 14,000 to 17,000 feet. They lie close till one gets within 50 or 

 100 yards, and then fly up with the usual chuckle, generally 

 alighting again at no very great distance." 



Nothing more seems known of the bird. 



That they breed on the high plains of Ladak I am quite 

 certain, but I have never seen the eggs, nor has my friend, 

 Mr. Wilson, been able of late years to procure any for me. 



In the old days when I used to shoot them, I cared little for 

 birds and never measured them ; so that the few measurements 

 I have to record I owe to others. 



Ma/es. —Length, 18 to 20; expanse, 29 to 31; wing, 9*9 to 

 10*5 ; tail ( according to development of central feathers), 75 

 to 9-5 ; tarsus (which, even in the fresh bird, it is very hard to 

 measure), i*i to 1*3 ; bill from forehead to tip, 074 to 078. 



Females. — Length, 16*5 to 18 ; expanse, 27 to 28 ; wing, 97 

 to 9-9 ; tail, yo to 8-4 ; tarsus, ri ; bill, as before, 072 to 073. 



The dimensions of the females are taken from only two 

 specimens, which were so sexed by the collector, but it has 

 occurred to me that they may be only young males, which, 

 however, doubtless agree in plumage with the female. 



The Plate {male in foreground— fetnale in rear) is a poor 

 thing ; conveying, if held at some distance, a general concep- 

 tion of the species, but ill-coloured, the legs and lower surface of 

 the male being really much whiter ; and, in the case of the 

 female, a sketchy scratch, altogether ignoring all the more 

 delicate markings and pencillings of the plumage, so much so 

 that I think it necessary to append a detailed description. 



DESCRIPTION. — Bill and nails bluish horny ; soles whitish. 



Plumage, Male. — Lores and forehead whitish, faintly tinged 

 with buff, and dark shafted ; crown, occiput, and nape white, 



