THE BANDED SAND-GROUSE, 
163 
is rounded, but rather lengthened ; it varies in 
length from twelve to fourteen inches. 
The banded sand-grouse is found on the vast 
sandy plains in the south of the Russian empire, 
upon the hanks of the Volga, but most abundantly 
in the north of Africa. Temminck also thinks that 
it is entitled to the rank of a European straggler, 
one or two instances having occurred of its being 
met with in Spain and Germany. Nauman killed 
one on the territory of Anhalt, and several others 
were said to have been found in the same season ; 
Temminck possesses two specimens killed in Spain. 
The neat is made among stunted brush, upon the 
ground, and four or live eggs only are deposited. 
The principal food during the season is the seeds of 
an astragalus. 
Pteroeles exustus, coronatus, Lichtensteinii, are 
other delicately marked species, inhabiting the Afri- 
can deserts, and having nearly the same manners, 
while a beautiful species inhabiting India was made 
known by Sonnerat, under the name of Gel i note des 
lodes. The Pteroeles quadricin ctus of Temminck, 
is so named, from four bands of brown, white, black, 
and again white, which encircle the breast of the 
adult males. 
Another interesting species is the pintailed sand- 
grouse, Pteroeles selarius of Temminck, a native of 
Europe as well as Africa, and the only one which 
can be called really European. It is remarkable in 
tbe lengthened form of the centre tail-feathers, and 
