GREAT BUSTARD. 31 



others think it is intended for carrying water. On each 

 side of the throat, and extending upwards in the direction 

 of the ear, is a bare space of a bluish-black colour. The 

 bill is short, stout, nearly straight, rather broader than high 

 at the base, compressed toward the end ; the upper mandible 

 with the dorsal line straight for nearly half its length, toward 

 the end convex, the nasal sinus large and feathered; the 

 edges sharp, direct, with a slight sinus close to the rather 

 obtuse tip ; the lower mandible with the angle rather long 

 and of moderate width, the dorsal line ascending and slightly 

 convex, the sides nearly erect, the edges direct, the tip nar- 

 rowed but rather blunt ; the gape-line slightly sinuate and 

 arched. 



The nostrils are large, oblong, in the lower and fore part 

 of the sinus. The eyes rather large. The aperture of the 

 ear rather large. The legs are rather long, and slender ; the 

 tibia bare for about two inches ; the tarsus somewhat com- 

 pressed, covered :-ui round with hexagonal scales, of which 

 the anterior are larger ; the toes very short, thick, three, the 

 inner considerably shorter than the outer, all marginate, flat- 

 tened beneath, connected by basal membranes, of which the 

 outer is larger ; the middle toe with twenty scutella; the rest 

 scaly at the base, scutellate toward the end. The claws are 

 short, strong, convex, decurved, obtuse. 



The plumage is full and compact ; the feathers on the 

 head and neck oblong, rather short; those on the upper 

 parts ovate, with large plumules. On each side of the throat, 

 at the base of the bill, is a tuft of stifhsh feathers with dis- 

 united filaments, directed backwards and downwards, and 

 about six inches in length. The wings are of moderate 

 length and breadth, concave, with thirty quills ; the pri- 

 maries stiff, decurved, narrow ; the third longest, the second 

 half-an-inch shorter, and exceeding the first by an inch ; the 

 secondaries broad and rounded ; some of the inner narrowed 

 and elongated. The tail is short, rounded, of twenty rather 

 firm, broad, rounded feathers. 



The bill is pale yellowish-broAvn, darker on the ridge. 

 The iris hazel ; the feet light brown, as are the claws. The 

 head and upper neck all round are light greyish-blue. On 



