PTEROCLES GUTTURALIS.— Smith. 
Aves. — Plate XXXI. (Female.) 
For the description of this bird see the letter-press accompanying Plate III. 
The egg is represented of the natural size, and each female lays two or three 
once or oftener during the warm season. These they deposit, without 
any care, upon the bare ground, and it is only when level spots fitted to the 
reception of eggs cannot readily be obtained that the birds of this genus 
bestow any labour on the preparation of nestling places. Nothing is ever 
interposed between the eggs and the soil, indeed whatever is calculated to 
separate them is carefully avoided. Almost the instant the young birds escape 
from the shell they take to a wandering life, and remove from place to place 
with their parents in quest of food. 
Though we find species of Pterocles beyond the confines of Africa, yet the majority of those 
now known are peculiar to it. The regions south of the equator have furnished nearly as many 
species as those to the north of it ; and both will doubtless afford many additional ones when 
the yet unknown districts shall have been thoroughly explored. Each of the known species, as 
tar as our observations go, has a limited range, and should the ranges of such as inhabit the 
unexplored tracts of the interior not be greater, we may in time expect great additions to the 
present list, i he following are the African species with which we are at present acquainted. 
Pterocles arenarius, Temm. Barbary and Senegal. 
Pterocles guttatus, Licht. Egypt. 
Pterocles quadricinctus, Temm. Senegal. 
Pterocles coronatus, Licht. Nubia. 
Pterocles Lichtensteinii, Temm. Nubia. 
Pterocles tricinctus, Swain. Senegal. 
Pterocles exustus, Temm. Egypt and Senegal. 
Pterocles tachypetes, Temm. South Africa. 
Pterocles bicinctus, Temm. South Africa. 
Pterocles simplex, Roux. South Africa. 
Pterocles maculosus, Burchell, South Africa. 
Pterocles gutturalis, Smith , South Afuca. 
