8826 



Birds. 



above birds passed within twenty yards of me, flying in a south-westerly direction. I 

 had no doubt of the species, as I could easily distinguish the colours. They alighted 

 on some trees, and, Jbeing noticed by several persons, many of them were shot, and 

 some of them were brought to me for preservation. I think it is unusual for so many 

 to be seen together. It was blowing a gale from the north-east. — H. Rogers ; Fresh- 

 water, Isle of Wight. 



[It is rather curious that the rock dove should settle on trees. I took great interest 

 in the movements of these birds both in Scotland and Ireland, and never saw one even 

 venture into tree districts; they confined their movements very much to the sea-cliffs, 

 settling on ledges, billing and cooing, and pushing one another off and then running 

 into holes. — Edward Newman ^\ 



Pallas' Sand Grouse in Suffolk and Norfolk. — I had intended, in the present 

 number of the ' Zoologist,' to have contributed a second paper on the sand grouse in 

 this district, bringing my previous notes down to the present date. My time has, 

 been so much occupied of late that I must postpone for the present any lengthened 

 communication. Your readers will probably be interested in knowing that two or 

 three other specimens were killed in Norfolk and Suffolk in July, subsequent to my 

 last notice ; that small parties were observed throughout August and September in 

 the Yarmouth and Lynn districts, where our extensive sand-hills have from their first 

 arrival afforded great attractions ; and that three male birds were shot in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Lynn as late as the first week in October. These birds I examined in 

 the flesh. They were in high condition ; the crops filled with small seeds similar to 

 those before described ; the plumage far brighter in tint than in any of the earlier spe- 

 cimens, the autumn moult being quite complete, with the exception of the first pri- 

 mary quills being as yet no longer than the second, and the tail-feathers but partly 

 grown. That these were adult males there could be no doubt; but the difference in 

 the size of the testes, compared with those previously examined, was very remarkable, 

 and from their appearance might indicate that there was no reason why the females 

 should not have laid during the last few months, although after the most careful 

 inquiries I cannot ascertain that any indications of their nesting with us have been 

 anywhere observed. Mr. Newton has received authentic information, however, of 

 their having bred this summer in Denmark.— H. Stevenson ; Norwich, October 22. 



Pallas' Sand Grouse in China. — Your readers will be both surprised and delighted 

 to hear of the abundant occurrence of this species, during winter, about the plains 

 between Pekin and Tientsin. Flocks of hundreds constantly pass over with a very 

 swift flight, not unlike that of the golden plover, for which we at first mistook them. 

 The market at Tientsin was literally glutted with them, and you could purchase them 

 for a mere nothing. The natives called them sha-chee, or sand-fowl, and told me they 

 were mostly caught in clap-nets. After a* fall of snow their capture was greatest, for 

 where the net was laid the ground was cleared, and strewed with small green beans. 

 The cleared patch was almost sure to catch the eye of the passing flocks, who would 

 descend and crowd into the snare. It only remained then for the fowler, hidden at a 

 distance, to jerk the strings, and in his haul he would not unfrequently take the whole 

 flock. Numbers, however, were shot with matchlocks. When on the ground they 

 were rather shy and difficult of approach ; but when on the wing they would some- 

 times dart within a few yards of you. They possess rather a melodious chuckle, the 

 only note that I have heard them utter. The natives say that during the summer they 



