32 OTIS TARDA. 



the upper part of the head is a longitudinal brown band. 

 The elongated mystaehial feathers white. The lower part of 

 the neck anteriorly is pale yellowish-red ; the fore part of 

 the breast pale greyish-blue, fading into white, of which 

 colour are the other lower parts, excepting the sides of the 

 lower neck and body, which are light yellowish-red barred 

 with black, each feather having two subterminal unequal 

 bars, and generally several spots. The tail feathers are 

 similar, but tipped with white, and having the base of that 

 colour. The outer wing-coverts, secondary coverts, and inner 

 secondary quills are white, the former tinged with grey ; the 

 primary quills brownish-black, with the shafts white. 

 Length to end of tail from 40 to 48 inches. 



Female in Summer. — The female is much inferior in size 

 to the male, generally weighing only ten or tAvelve pounds. 

 There are no elongated feathers on the sides of the head. 

 The bare parts are coloured as in the male. The upper part 

 of the head is yellowish-red, barred with black ; the fore neck 

 greyish-blue, without any red at its lower part ; the colouring 

 of the other parts as in the male ; but the black markings on 

 the back and tail more numerous. 



Length to end of tail about 35 inches. 



Habits. — The Great Bustard, which is said to have been 

 numerous on the heaths and downs of the southern and 

 eastern parts of England, is now so rare that years pass 

 without the occurrence of one being noticed. Formerly it 

 appears to have been a common object of sport, and to have 

 been hunted with greyhounds ; one might think only when 

 moulting, for it might be judged from the size of its wings 

 that it is capable of a much longer flight than would suffice 

 to withdraw it from any danger to be apprehended from dogs. 

 But a French author informs us that " when the Bustard is 

 chased it runs with great speed, flapping its wings, and 

 sometimes goes several miles at once without stopping ; but 

 as it rises on wing with difficulty, and only when aided by a 

 favourable wind, and besides never perches, nor indeed can 

 do so, whether on account of its weight or of its wanting the 



