become really tame, but this is very probably owing to 

 their having a good range and means of concealment ; 

 in hot weather they scratch little cavities in the gravel 

 in their aviary and bask in them, often lying over on 

 one side, with the free wing more or less elevated, to 

 allow the heat to reach their flanks. 



The Act by which the Sand-Grouse are now protected 

 in this country, although it came into force too late to 

 be of much avail in putting a stop to the wanton and 

 useless massacre of these birds, was humane and well 

 intentioned as far as it goes. But a vast amount of 

 nonsense has been written about the Sand-Grouse as a 

 valuable addition to our British game-birds ; I imagine 

 that this has arisen from the application of the word 

 " Grouse " to this species, as it has none of the 

 qualities of a game-bird, and it is most improbable that 

 in the most favourable circumstance and under the most 

 strict protection it would ever become really naturalized 

 in a country so eminently unsuited to its habits as our 

 own ; but why, may I ask in the name of common sense, 

 should a special Act be required for the protection of a 

 harmless and very beautiful bird ? There can only be 

 one answer — that the greed of bird-dealers and bird- 

 collectors renders an enactment of this sort absolutely 

 necessary ; and the only fault that I have to find with 

 this one is that its operation is so limited as to time 

 that in all probability the next visitors of this most 

 interesting species to Great Britain will be more ruth- 

 lessly destroyed than their predecessors. 



