Order  V.  GALLING. 
Family  IV.  Tetraonidje. 
The  fifth  Subfamily, 
PTEROCLINiE,  or  Sand  Grouse, 
have  the  Bill  short,  with  the  culmen  curved  to  the  tip,  and  the  sides  compressed ;  theWings  and  Tail 
lengthened  and  pointed;  the  Tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe,  robust,  and  more  or  less  covered  with 
feathers ;  the  Toes  moderate  and  robust,  the  lateral  toes  more  or  less  united  to  the  middle  one,  and  the 
hind  toe  rudimental. 
Pterocles  Temm* 
Bill  small,  the  culmen  rounded  and  curved  to  the  tip,  the  sides  compressed,  and  the  lateral  margins 
arched  and  entire ;  the  nostrils  basal,  lateral,  with  the  opening  partly  closed  by  a  membrane,  which  is 
nearly  hidden  by  the  frontal  plumes.  Wings  very  long  and  pointed,  with  the  first  and  second  quills  the 
longest.  Tail  moderate  and  wedge-shaped.  Tarsi  robust,  longer  than  the  middle  toe,  with  the  front 
and  inner  sides  clothed  with  feathers.  Toes  short,  thick,  much  united  at  their  bases  by  a  prominent 
membrane,  which  extends  along  the  sides  of  each  toe,  the  upper  surface  covered  with  transverse  scales, 
and  the  under  surface  with  granulated  scales  ;  the  hind  toe  rudimental ;  the  claws  short,  curved,  and 
robust. 
These  singular-looking  birds  inhabit  Southern  Europe,  Africa,  and  Asia,  in  the  dry  sandy  deserts,  the  bare  and 
rocky  plains,  or  the  bushy  and  woody  grounds,  especially  in  the  neighbourhood  of  low  hills.  They  are  usually 
found  singly  or  in  pairs,  except  when  those  of  the  desert  resort  to  water,  which  is  performed  in  flocks  in  common  with 
other  species.  Some  of  these  birds,  when  flushed,  rise  with  a  low  chuckling  call,  take  a  short  flight  and  alight ;  then,  if 
followed,  run  along  the  ground  for  a  short  distance,  and  with  difficulty  rise  again.  Others,  however,  "  fly,"  according 
to  Dr.  Smith,  "  at  a  great  height,  and  suddenly  descend,  when  they  approach  the  water  or  their  feeding-grounds  ;  and 
even  on  some  occasions  the  descent  is  not  commenced  before  they  are  directly  over  the  spot  where  it  is  their  object  to 
alight.  On  such  occasions  they  require  to  form  a  semicircular  or  circular  movement  before  they  can  reach  the  desired 
spot."  Their  food  consists  of  hard  seeds,  bulbs,  and  insects,  mixed  with  fine  gravel.  The  female  deposits  on  the  bare 
ground  from  two  to  four  eggs. 
1.  P.  alchata  (Linn.)  Steph.  PL  enl.  105,  106. —  Tetrao  cau-  i      3.  P.  namaqua  (Grael.)  —  Pterocles  tachypetes  Temm. 
dacutus  Gm.il.;  T.  chata  Pall.;   Pterocles  setarius   Temm.;    Pt.  4.  p.  Lichtensteinii    Temm.    PL  col.  355.  36 1. —  P.  bicinctus 
caspius  Menetr. ;  G£nas  cata  Vieill  Licht. 
2.  P.  arenarius  (Pall.)  Temm.  PL  col.  52,  53.  —  Perdix  ara-  5.  P.  bicinctus  Temm.  Vieill.  Gal.  des  Ois.  t.  220.  —  Pterocles 
gonica  Lath.  ;    Bonasa  pyrenaica  Briss.  ;    Tetrao   subtridactylus  tricinctus  Swains.  B.  of  W.  Afr.  ii.  pi. 
Hast.  6.  F.fasciatus  (Scop.)  Del.  Flor.  et  Faun.  Insub.,  Sonn.  Voy.  t. 
*  Established  by  M.  Temminck  (Man.  d' Ornith.)  in  1809;  and,  in  1816,  Vieillot  gave  this  genus  the  name  of  (Ena*. 
