512 LITTLE BUSTARD. 



across France from Marne to La Vendee, where it has greatly in- 

 creased of late years, arriving about the end of March or early in 

 April and leaving in September. In the Spanish Peninsula it is 

 common on broken or rolling ground, above the dead level pre- 

 ferred by its larger congener ; but to the north of Italy it is only a 

 visitor, though resident in the south, and in Sicily and Sardinia. 

 In Central Europe it is rare, though still tolerably plentiful along 

 the valley of the Danube, as well as in the Balkan Peninsula, 

 Turkey, Greece, and Southern Russia. Eastward its range extends to 

 Turkestan, and on migration it is known to cross the lofty Pamir 

 plateau on the way to its winter-quarters in North-western India. 

 In Africa north of the Sahara it is abundant, being well known in 

 Algeria and Tunis by the name of " Poule de Carthage." 



The male assumes his breeding-plumage in April, at which time 

 he selects a spot about three feet in diameter, on which he passes 

 several hours each day, with head and neck thrown back, wings 

 somewhat extended, and tail erect, pouring forth his peculiar cry of 

 prut, prut, jumping up at the conclusion of each call, and striking 

 the ground in a peculiar manner on his descent. At this season Mr. 

 Abel Chapman found that the throat became much dilated. Conflicts 

 take place for the females, but instead of uniting in flocks whilst the 

 latter are incubating, each male is to be found in the vicinity of a 

 hen. The nest, slightly made of dry grass, is placed on the ground, 

 among herbage sufficiently high to conceal the bird ; the eggs, 3-4 

 in number, are of a very glossy olive-brown or pale green, clouded 

 with darker patches, and often beautifully zoned with rufous : 

 average measurements i'95 by 1*5 in. The first clutch is laid 

 about the end of May, a second being frequently produced in the 

 latter part of July. The food consists of herbs, grain, insects, 

 slugs, small snails, frogs, field-mice &c. The male rises with a loud 

 clatter of his wings, but the female sits remarkably close. In autumn 

 the birds unite and form large packs, which afterwards break up 

 into smaller parties. 



The male in spring has the cheeks and throat dark grey enclosed 

 by a white loop, below which is a broad collar of black, followed by 

 a band of white and then another of black ; crown and general 

 upper plumage sandy-brown, vermiculated with black ; wing-coverts 

 and under surface white. In winter the feathers of the neck and 

 breast are sandy-brown streaked with black, as in the female ; the 

 latter differs chiefly in having the upper parts blotched — rather than 

 vermiculated — with black. Length 17 in. ; wing 9'5 in. The young 

 are like the hen, but rather more barred on the flanks. 



