510 GREAT BUSTARD. 



irregular wanderer to Great Britain — exceptionally as far north as 

 the Orkneys ; the winter of 1870-71 being signalized by the arrival 

 of a considerable number, while a smaller migration was noticed in 

 England in the winter of 1879-80, coinciding with a visitation in 

 the northern and central provinces of France. 



In Denmark, and in the south of Sweden where it formerly bred, 

 this species is now of only accidental occurrence, and in Russia it is 

 seldom found further north than Moscow, though southward it is 

 plentiful. It is still resident, except in severe winters, on the 

 plains of Germany — especially near Leipzig, and in Poland it is 

 widely distributed ; on the steppes of the Danubian and Black Sea 

 districts it becomes abundant, and it is also common in suitable 

 portions of the Spanish Peninsula ; but to the rest of Europe it is 

 chiefly a visitor. In Morocco and North Africa generally it is rare. 

 North of the great mountain ranges in Asia, it can be traced to 

 Manchuria, China, and Japan, and a flock has been known to wander 

 as far as the valley of the Indus ; but in Eastern Siberia its re- 

 presentative is a very closely-allied species, O. dybowskii. 



In spring the males fight furiously for the possession of the 

 females, but afterwards they live apart in small droves, and towards 

 the end of May they moult their quill?, remaining for some time 

 unable to fly ; otherwise the Bustard is very strong on the wing, 

 and the idea that it habitually seeks. safety by running is a popular 

 error. The eggs, laid in a hollow scraped in the ground, are 

 2-3 in number, and are olive-green blotched with brown : average 

 measurements 3 by 2\ in. Incubation, which lasts rather more 

 than three weeks, begins in April in Spain, though later in the north ; 

 the young are soon able to run and hide themselves. Green corn, 

 peas, clover &c., are the chief articles of diet, but worms, small 

 mammals and reptiles are also eaten. Old males sometimes weigh 

 upwards of 30 lbs., and their flesh is coarse, but the hens and young 

 are excellent for the table. 



The adult male has a tuft of long bristly white feathers at the 

 base of the bill on each side ; head bluish-grey ; upper surface 

 chiefly ochreous-yellow barred with black ; wings white, except the 

 primaries, which are brownish ; breast banded with rich chestnut 

 and grey ; belly white. Length 45 in. ; wing 24'5 in. The female 

 has no bristles or pectoral band, and is much smaller; wing 19*5 

 in. The young resemble the hen. In the adult males of this and 

 some other Bustards there is a large sub-lingual air-pouch, which 

 is capable of great dilation during the love-season, though at other 

 times almost invisible. 



