752 
BIRD-LIFE. 
to me as being little else than a shallow cavity scraped in 
the sand, without any lining, which agrees with the 
accounts given by English naturalists. The female alone 
sits, but the young are tended by both parents. As 
soon as the breeding season is over, these birds are seen 
in as large bands as before. The eggs of the Spanish 
species, which I have met with in collections, were of an 
isabel-yellow ground, spotted with reddish yellow, brown, 
and violet, these spots often being confined to the larger 
end. The downy dress of the young is very delicate, both 
as regards colouring and marking, the sandy yellow 
ground on the upper parts being covered with blackish 
crescent-shaped and star-like marks, while underneath it 
is whitish. 
The Sand Grouse’s worst enemy is—as usual—man; 
besides which it is harried by Eagles and Falcons by day, 
and by jackals and foxes by night. The flesh is good 
eating, though very hard, resembling that of the Wood 
Pigeon more than that of the Partridge. They may be 
shot with the gun; and, inasmuch as they squat close 
together, one may, if fortunate, kill as many as from six 
to fourteen at a shot. Those which are not killed out¬ 
right are useless to the collector, for the wounded birds 
flutter to such an extent as to lose almost all their 
feathers, the latter being very loosely attached to the 
skin. The Arabs are very fond of these birds, and relate 
many pretty legends about them: they especially look 
upon them- as guides to water in the desert, and most 
justly so. 
Sand Grouse soon become accustomed to captivity, and 
are in every respect amenable to circumstances: they 
may be easily fed on grain and green-meat, and agree 
well with other birds; they cannot stand wet, though 
