NATURE NOTES 
170 
ing-place, these birds never settle on the ground without first 
describing a circle, in order to assure themselves that there is no 
danger. On alighting they hastily drink and rise again ; and in 
cases where the flocks are large, the birds in front get up before 
those at the back have time to alight. They know their drink- 
ing-places very well, and very often go to them from distances of 
tens of miles, especially in the mornings between nine and ten 
o’clock, but after twelve at noon they seldom visit these spots.” 
In North China the natives are said to catch considerable 
numbers of sand-grouse by scattering small green beans in the 
neighbourhood of bird-nets. The crops of specimens obtained 
in England were found to contain, for the most part, seeds of 
various leguminous plants, such as the clovers and medicks. 
Although the flock which visited England this year was first 
observed in January, Mr. John Cordeaux, who recorded its 
arrival, thought it quite possible they had remained unmolested 
in this country all through the winter, as their chief haunt, 
“ twenty-four acres too poor for cultivation and recently laid 
down in grass,” is situated in an unfrequented and retired 
locality among the Lincolnshire Wolds. It was remarked that 
in choosing this district the birds followed the example of their 
forerunners in 1888, for it was in the very same field that the 
latter first appeared in Lincolnshire. Of the flock of 1899, Mr. 
Cordeaux wrote to Knowledge that they were “ first seen by the 
rabbiter in the last week in January, the same man whose son shot 
five in 1888 ; and subsequently, by several competent observers in 
the neighbourhood, some of whom, by previous experience, had 
become well acquainted with the birds. The locality is lonely 
and retired, and it says much for those who from time to time 
saw them that they were never shot at, or otherwise disturbed, 
on this or on the adjoining farm. They did not always keep in 
one flock, but separated into parties, and frequently took a flight 
of about a mile to two large fields of wheat in the low country, 
and on being flushed, returned to the same field on the Wold. 
In fact, this locality .seems to have offered special attractions, 
and it was here I got the feathers from one of their dusting- 
places. During the arctic weather in March they became much 
tamer ; the shepherd on the next farm told me he got so near 
them that he could see their ‘ little woolly feet,’ and he knew 
them well, having had one given him in 1888. He said that they 
followed each otlier like partridges, but ‘ wabbled ’ a good bit 
when running in the snow. They finally and altogether disap- 
peared about March 23, at the break up of the storm. I have 
since been informed that a supposed flight of sand-grouse were 
seen on Flamborough Head in March.” 
This, I believe, is the last credibly recorded occurrence of 
sand-grouse in this country in 1899. 1 may mention, however, 
that in May 1 was informed that a “sandy-coloured” bird had 
been seen on the Gunton Denes, near Lowestoft. It was 
described as being “ about the size of a partridge, but flew like 
