THEi WORIiD'S BIBDS. 9 



Disposition and Habits. — Nervous, but at times 

 aggressive in the case of large males. They do 

 not bathe, but dust themselves. They are very 

 wary. 



Note. — A croak, cackle, or boom. 



Economic Qualities. — Some occasionally injure crops, 

 but as a rule they are beneficial, and are most 

 excellent sporting birds, being hard to bag and good 

 eating. 



Captivity. — They are not often kept, and their ner- 

 vousness gives trouble. They have not bred. 

 The European Great Bustard {Otis tarda) has done 

 best in captivity, and has laid. 



Distribution and Important Species. — The Bustards 

 number about thirty species, inhabiting tem- 

 perate and warm parts of the Old World, usually 

 in dry open country. Most of the species are 

 African, and there are none between India and 

 Australia — yet the Great Indian Bustard [Eupo- 

 dotis edwardsi) and the one Australian species 

 (E. australis) are almost identical ; the latter bird 

 is known in its own country as the " Plains Tur- 

 key." The Paauw {Eupodotis kon), the largest 

 flying bird, is also a South African Bustard of 

 this group. The Florican {Houbaropsis bengalensis) 

 is a well-known species, in which the male is black 

 on the head, neck and lower parts ; and the Knor- 

 haan {Compsotis afro), in which the male is also 

 largely black, is a well-known African species. 



