6o



Mr. W. H. St. Quintin,



concealed by the overhanging blades of grass. During the past

summer, a bird that was sitting steadily was washed off her nest by

a specially severe storm, and the eggs got chilled and the chicks

perished in the shells. Last year several eggs were dropped in

the enclosure, and were put under Silky-game hens. Young

were hatched, but we could do nothing with them. They would

not pick up food of any kind, nor take it when offered them ;

one was kept alive for a week by being crammed, and then died.

In a favourable season I think the birds might be bred, but the

young, if hatched, must be left to the parents who, no doubt, like

the Cranes and Rails, pick up food and hold it to the young to

take from their bills. Indeed, last year, I saw the female, whose

eggs had been spoiled by the rain, running about some weeks

afterwards with food in her bill, make a curious clucking noise

as if to call up her offspring, which alas ! were not forthcoming.


Little Bustards are nearly omnivorous, and will eat almost

anything of animal or vegetable nature that one is likely to offer

them—boiled vegetables, cooked meat and bread are greedily

devoured, but the staple food of all my Bustards is good freshly-

ground barley-meal, scalded with a little Spratts’ Poultry meal

and crissel, and mixed into a crumbly mass, which can be fed to

the birds outside in pellets or balls, and in their pans when they

are shut into the sheds. This they get thrice a day, with three

or four times a week some sheep’s heart at one of the meals.

I am in favour of birds of this class having meals, rather than

that the allowance of food should be left by them throughout

the day. It is more easy to attend to the wants of a bird that

wants favouring, and it makes the birds pleased to see one, and

therefore, tamer. If there are Rooks or Sparrows about it also

prevents much waste. In addition to all this, my birds have

plenty of opportunities of grazing, which they take advantage

of, and at the seasons when grass is not growing, or when they

are in the sheds, they have cabbage or lettuce. I always have

found Little Bustards hearty feeders, which all aviculturists

know is a great point in their favour in captivity.


Besides the Great and Little Bustards, the only species of

this family that I kept is the Oriental Houbaras (//. macgullnii )

two of which I have kept for several years. Unfortunately they



