2i8 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



Family OTIDID.E. Genus Otis. 



LITTLE BUSTARD. 



Otis tetrax, Lifinceus. 

 (British : Rare nomadic spring, autumn, and winter migrant.) 



Possibly Double Brooded. Laying season, May and July. 



Breeding area : South-western Palaearctic region. 

 The Little Bustard breeds in suitable localities in the 

 Spanish peninsula and in France, more commonly on 

 the steppes of the Danube, Turkey, Southern Russia, 

 and Western Siberia, as far north as lat. 55 , and as far 

 east in the latter country as Lake Saisan. It also breeds 

 in Russian Turkestan, Northern Persia, North-v/est 

 Africa, and the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. 



Breeding habits : Although many Little Bustards 

 remain on the northern shores of the Mediterranean 

 during winter, the greater number cross that sea to 

 winter in Africa, returning the following April. It is 

 gregarious enough in winter and whilst on migration, 

 but soon after the breeding grounds are reached the 

 flocks disband, and not even a social tendency is 

 observable until the young are abroad. The Little 

 I^ustard pairs annually. At this season numbers of 

 birds congregate on certain spots, and the males appear 

 to go through a sort of " lek," like many Game Birds, 

 and fights take place for the possession of the females. 

 As soon as pairing is over, each couple retire to a 

 selected haunt until the young are grown. The favourite 

 breeding grounds of this Bustard are wide treeless plains 

 and steppes. The nest is invariably made upon the 

 ground, and is a mere trampled hollow, seven or eight 

 inches across, rather deep, and lined with a few bits of 

 dry grass and weed. The birds are wary at the nest, 



