cycle. Isakov (in Dement'ev, 15) noted this at Kara-Bogaza in 1939 where 
an unusual spring drought resulted in the reabsorption of partly developed 
eges. Barnes found imperials nesting in Afghanistan in May (in Oates, 28). 
Whistler (43) indicates that they commonly nest in the southeastern part 
of that country in May and June. I collected a young bird, not over three 
weeks old, high up on the central plateau of Afghanistan in early July. 
On August 29, west of Konya, Turkey, I purchased three youngsters not over 
two weeks old from local villagers and on the same day found a female on a 
nest containing two slightly incubated eggs. The nest was in an exposed 
location between short, scraggly clumps of grass. The temperature of the 
air was 102°F., and a thermometer placed next to the nest but in the sun 
registered over 140°F. When first located the female was standing with 
wings half outspread in an obvious attempt to provide shade for the eggs. 
Both sexes apparently incubate the eggs. Austin (2) reports that 
the female sits on the eggs by day, the male by night, and that the period 
of incubation is 23 to 28 days. Dement'ev (15) states that incubation 
begins with the laying of the first egg because of the necessity of shading 
the eggs from the heat of the sun. 
No exact information on renesting or second nests has come to light. 
There is a wide span from April and August between which nests have been 
located. Pigeons and doves, with which the sandgrouse are taxonomically 
related, often produce several clutches of eggs. Considering these facts, 
it would not be abnormal to find renesting the rule and second nests not 
uncommon, 
Eges 
The eggs are elliptical in shape with a smooth texture and a marked 
gloss. The shell is reported as brittle. Ground color is dull and pale, 
varying from cream to buff or greenish gray. Shell markings show indefinite 
smudges, blotches, and spots of brown of various shades, with secondary 
markings of lavender and purplish gray. The average egg size noted by 
Whistler (44) is 46.5 by 31.8 mm. 
Brooding and Rearing 
As with many pigeons, brooding is done by both parents. According 
to Baker (3) the precocial young of sandgrouse differ greatly from the 
almost naked newly hatched squabs of pigeons and doves in being covered 
with richly colored down, being able to run at once and, to some extent, 
feed themselves. The young probably are capable of short flights by two 
weeks of age. 
Gregariousness 
Imperial sandgrouse are, in general, much less gregarious than are 
either the pin-tailed or the common Indian sandgrouse, even in winter. 
Concentrations of from 1,000 to 8,000 birds around water has been re- 
ported from Saudi Arabia by Meinertzhagen (26) and from Rajasthan, by 
56 
