THE GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD 133 



In courting, the male of the Indian great bustard goes 

 through an extraordinary display. Strutting about with head 

 lifted as high as possible, he cocks his tail, inhales air in repeated 

 puffs, expanding and contracting his throat, and at last blows 

 the neck out into a huge bag till it nearly reaches the ground, 

 when he struts about displaying this goitre, and with his tail 

 turned over his back, at the same time snapping his bill and 

 uttering a peculiar deep moan, no doubt the origin of his 

 Mahratta name of Hum. His ordinary alarm call is a most 

 unbird-like noise which strikes some people as like barking, 

 while others compare it to a bellow or the distant shout of 

 a man. Hence is derived the Hindustani name Hookna, while 

 the Canarese Ari-kujina-JmJcki means " the bird that calls like 

 a man." Captain C. Brownlow also records {vide Mr. Baker) 

 " a sort of cackle " uttered by an undisturbed flock. 



The breeding season of this bird is extended over more than 

 half the year, Mr. Baker recording eggs taken in every month 

 except December, February, and March, but the main breeding 

 months appear to be from August to November, while the time 

 is locally variable. Only one egg is laid — at any rate as a rule — 

 and this in a slight hollow in the ground, with no attempt at a 

 nest except sometimes a few bits of grass. It may be in the 

 open or in high grass, preferabl}^ the latter. 



The egg is thick-shelled, and, though variable, tends to a 

 long shape, often over three inches long. It is spotted, more 

 or less distinctly, with brown on a ground of pale brown, dull 

 olive green, or even grey. The down of the chick is buff above 

 and white below, variegated with black on the buff portions. 



As this bird increases so slowly, it certainly needs watchful 

 protection, but it seems not to have been seriously reduced in 

 numbers during the last half-century. Although Sterndale 

 records a tame specimen as killed by his pet mongoose, the size 

 of the bird must protect it against small vermin as a rule, while 

 it is on occasion a plucky bird, a correspondent of Mr. Baker's 

 having been actually charged by a winged cock, and obliged to 

 give it another shot. Moreover, the extreme wariness above 

 alluded to is a great safeguard. Some credit the bustard with a 

 keen sense of smell, which may partly account for the difficulty 

 of approaching it. 



