THE PAINTED SAND-GROUSE. 6 1 



Mr. Adam tells us that he had been shooting with Thakur 

 Kesri Sing, of Kuchawan, who on their way home told him of 

 a much-frequented drinking place of this species. It was 

 agreed to go and shoot a few. 



" Accordingly," he says, " we at once started for the pond. 

 The patch of water — it could hardly be called a pond — was 

 situated in a grove of Acacia trees close to a large masonry well. 

 We reached the place about half an hour before sunset, and 

 then I observed a few Pigeons and Doves, a Wag-tail and a 

 Redstart coming to drink ; about half an hour after the sun 

 had set, or when it was dusk to all intents and purposes, I heard 

 the peculiar cluck, cluck, which fasciatus makes when rising, 

 and some six or seven birds flew rapidly through the clump 

 under the trees and settled down on the bank about eight feet 

 from the water. There they lay perfectly still for two or three 

 seconds, and then all of them commenced a rapid run down to 

 the water. By this time others came flocking in, and in about 

 five minutes I could see that there were about fifty birds collect- 

 ed. It was now so dark that, although only about twenty yards 

 distant from them, I required my binoculars to see the birds. 



" I fired at a group of six and killed two ; the other birds flew 

 off, uttering their clucking call ; all flew very low round the tope, 

 and again settled down near the water. I again fired and killed 

 five with one barrel, and when the birds returned, I killed three 

 more. After the third shot none returned." 



Mr. R. Thompson also writes : — 



" I can quite corroborate Dr. Jerdon's observations as to the 

 crepuscular habits of this species. It is quite nocturnal, and 

 feeds and goes to water even in the darkest night. I have 

 seen the birds arrive at the edge of a plain at dusk, and remain 

 feeding and going to water during the dark hours before the 

 moon got up. I have frequently too noted parties of six or 

 seven flitting about noiselessly over an opening in the forest 

 long after sunset. 



" During the early part of the rains these birds entirely leave 

 the forests and jungles, and then, all through the rains, live in 

 the open country, exactly as P. exustus does, but they are never 

 noisy like the latter. 



" Large numbers of the Painted Grouse are taken during the 

 rainy season by bird-catchers, who, approaching under cover of 

 a screen made of green leaves and twigs, drop a circular net, 

 suspended to a hoop and held out horizontally at the end of a 

 long bamboo, over the birds, which, as a rule, never seem to 

 suspect that there is danger at hand." 



This species is in no degree migratory, but appears to live all 

 the year round and breed in almost precisely the same places, 

 although, as the seasons change, they may move a few miles and 

 vary the nature of the cover they affect. 



