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Show 246 MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE PTEROCLIDA. [Feb. I Bree, B. Eur. vol. iii. p. 226, pl. (1862) ; Tristr. Proc. Zool. (1864) p. 449; Lilford, Ibis (1866) p. 379; Drake, Ibis (1867) p. 428; Smith, Ibis (1868) p. 450; Taczanow. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1870) p. 51; Saund. Ibis (1871) p-223 ; Rey, Journ. fur Ornith. (1872) p. 154; Godman, Ibis (1872) p. 219 ; Garrod, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1873) pp. 468, 639, (1874) p. 254; Hume, Str. Feath. vol. i. (1873) p. 219 ; Kriiper, Journ. fiir Ornith. (1875) p. 282; James, Str. Feath. vol. iii. (1875) p. 418; Butler, Str. Feath. (1876) vol. iv. p. 4, (1877) vol. v. p. 231 ; Dresser, Ibis (18/6) p. 322; Scha-low, Journ. fiir Ornith. (1876) p. 186; Scully, Str. Feath. (1876) vol. iv. p. 179?; Danf. Ibis (1877) p. 273. Tetrao subtridactyla, Hasselq. It. p. 250. Tuturuk, Boorakurra, in Afghanistan (Jerdon). Bukt-titar, Hakht-tit, Buklit, also Ban-chur-Kurmoor, at Peshawur (Jerdon). El Koudhre, Arabic (Tristram). Corteza, near Seville (Saunders). Ortega Churra, in Spain (Lilford). Barrigra negra in Portugal (Smith). Beghitak, Yarkand (Scully). Hab. Desert regions of Asia, Southern Europe, and North Africa (Blyth) ; plains of Fuerteventura, Gran Canary (Godman); Harak-ta plains of the Eastern Atlas, Djendeli, Madracen (Salvin) ; Sahara desert everywhere, except in the extreme south (Tristram); Erze-roum (Dickson and Boss) ; Asia Minor (Danford) ; Palestine (Tristram) ; very common in Jodhpoor, not uncommon in Sindh, fairly plentiful in eastern portions of Cutch, all along the eastern shores of the Runn, and in the north-eastern portions of Kattiawar (Hume); Punjaub, N.W. Provinces, Bengal (Adams), Besharik, Yarkand, and Koshtak in Eastern Turkestan (Scully) ; Western Persia (De Filippi). When in Yarkand Mr. Scully states (I. ci) that he heard of a bird called Beghitak by the natives, which lived in the desert ground, was yellowish brown in colour, and had feathered legs, and long pointed wings. Its blood was reputed a specific for consumption. Although he did not succeed in obtaining a specimen, yet once near Besharik he saw a pair at a distance, and the next day he saw three more, which appeared to be yellowish brown above, breast dove-colour, abdomen dark or black, and lower tail-coverts white. They were so wild and wary that he could not get a shot at them. Although he refers these birds to P. arenarius, it is more probable, as suggested by Mr. Hume, they were Syrrhaptes paradoxus. Jerdon, in the 'Birds of India,' says that this Sand-Grouse is only found in the north-west provinces and Sindh, rarely extending so low as Allahabad, is tolerably abundant in the Punjaub, and stated to be very abundant on the edges of the great desert. He had also heard of its having been killed near Nusserabad and in Khandeish. It arrives at the end of September, and leaves in March, and is therefore only a winter visitor in India. It frequents sandy plains, flies in vast flocks, and, like others of the family, it regularly visits twice a day certain drinking-places, and is fond of basking in the sun and rolling in the sand. The flight of this species is very strong and swift; and sometimes it traverses great distances. It is a very shy bird, difficult of approach, and much esteemed as an article of food. |
