MACQUEEN'S BUSTARD. 559 



I saw the preserved remains of this specimen at Easington 

 in the October following. 



Six specimens of the Little Bustard are in the York Museum, 

 and formed part of the Strickland and Rudston collections. 

 One of these is the Goodmanham bird (1854), and probably 

 some others may be the examples mentioned in Allis's Report. 



MACQUEEN'S BUSTARD. 



Otis macqueeni {y. E. Gray). 



Accidental visitant from Asia, of extremely rare occurrence. 



This handsome Bustard, known also as the Asiatic Houbara, 

 and Ruffed Bustard, is resident in the Aralo-Caspian region, 

 and winters in north-western India. It is a very rare 

 accidental straggler to this country, only four instances being 

 recorded, two of which belong to Yorkshire. 



The second British, and first Yorkshire, occurrence refers 

 to a male example obtained at Marske-by-the-Sea, within 

 sight of the room where these lines are being written. It 

 was first observed on 5th October 1892, by some boys, in a 

 field at Windy Hill Farm, near the coast, and was so fearless 

 that it took little notice of several stones thrown at it. Infor- 

 mation was then sent to a man named Richardson, who brought 

 a gun, and, as the bird rose, killed it at close range, damaging 

 it badly on one side. It was taken to Pearce Coupe, taxider- 

 mist, of Marske, for identification, and he at once com- 

 municated with the authorities of Newcastle Museum, by 

 whom it was eventually purchased. I had an opportunity of 

 examining it before it was forwarded to Newcastle, and 

 have since been favoured by the late curator, Mr. House, 

 with particulars and dimensions of the specimen. It had 

 apparently been feeding, a few grass seeds being found in 

 its crop and also in the throat and beak. 



The illustration of this bird is taken from a water colour 

 drawing (after a photograph of the stuffed specimen) by Mr. 



