TURTLE DOVE —passenger PIGEON — PALLAS’s SAND-GROUSE. 
137 
hollow trees, at Knighton, from whence I procured two young birds for the 
Museum, by the kindness of Mr. J. S. Ellis, on 6th Sept., 1882. 
In Rutland. — As in Leicestershire. — The Earl of Gainsborough writes 
(‘Zoologist,’ 1888, p. 305) that, on 7th June, 1888, when driving to Pickworth, 
he saw as many as eleven on tlie ground in one field. Mr. Horn reports having 
taken the eggs so early as March. 
TURTLE DOVE. Turtur communis, Selby. 
“ Wickin Dove.” 
A summer visitant, sparingly distributed and remaining to breed. — Harley 
remarked upon its comparative rarity in the county, and appeared to think it had 
not bred. In May, 1881, I saw a pair several times in the Rectory garden at 
Aylestone, and concluded from their actions, that they had a nest in the vicinity. 
Since then I have seen single birds in various parts of the county, and have more 
than once heard the peculiar “purring ” coo so characteristic of the species. 
Mr. Davenport found a nest, in June, 1878, in a spinney near Tilton, and 
another at Ashlands in June, 1884. Mr. G. H. Storer, who saw a pair near 
Arnesby in 1888, was informed that it bred there. 
In Rutland. — Mr. Horn writes: — “Not uncommon. We find several nests 
every year.” 
PASSENGER PIGEON. Ectopistes migratorius (Linnmus). 
A very rare straggler from the Nearctic Region. — The late Mr. Widdowson 
wrote : — “ One killed in Scalford village street some years ago. The same year I 
saw accounts of several killed near Liverpool,” but, as there is no doubt that the 
latter examples had escaped from confinement, it is highly probable that the 
Leicestershire specimen may have been one of the same company. 
Order PTEROCLETES. 
Family PTEROCLID^. 
PALLAS’S SAND-GROUSE. Syrrltaptes paradoxv,s (Pallas). 
A very rare and irregular visitant to Britain, from Central Asia, but unusually 
common during 1888. — Mr. Macaulay thinks he saw a small flock of these birds, 
whilst driving between Saddington and Mowsley, on 23rd May, 1888 ; and Mr. G. H. 
Storer gives me the following interesting communication : — 
“ On Frida;, , June 8th, I visited my friend Mr. F. F. How at Swithland, where 
he was staying for a short time, and from him first heard of certain birds which 
had been seen in the neighbourhood, and which, after careful enquiry, I feel 
