208 BIRDS or AUSTRALIA. 



Sp. 495. CHORIOTIS AUSTRALIS. 



Australian Bustard. 



Otis australis, Gray in GrifF. Auim, King., vol. iii. p. 305. 



australasianus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 176. 



Churiotis australis, Bonap. Compt. Rend, dc I'Acad. Sci., torn, xliii. 



Be-hil-ya, Aborigines of Western Australia. 

 Turkey, Colonists of New South Wales. 

 Native Turkey, Colonists of Swan River. 



Otis australasianus, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vi. pi. 4. 



In size this species exceeds the European Bustard {Otis 

 tarda), standing higher upon its legs, and having a longer 

 neck ; and, when seen at freedom slowly stalking over its 

 native plains, no Australian bird, except the Emu, is so 

 majestic, or assumes in its carriage so great an air of 

 independence. The male, whose weight is from thirteen to 

 sixteen pounds, considerably exceeds the female in size, and, 

 from the greater length of the plumes of the neck and 

 occiput, is much more stately in appearance. 



I am of opinion that it is merely a summer visitant to all 

 the southern parts of Australia, but to determine this point 

 requires a longer residence than the nature of my visit 

 permitted. I frequently encountered and killed it both on 

 the plains of the Lower Namoi and also in South Australia, 

 and Gilbert met with it in Western Australia, Leichardt 

 within the region of the tropics, and Sturt around the Depot 

 in the desert; its range over the country, therefore, is 

 probably universal. Within the precincts of the colony of 

 New South Wales, as might be expected, a bird of so large a 

 size is much persecuted, and has consequently become very 

 shy. I met with it upon several occasions on the downs near 

 Scone, the flats in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, and other 

 similar situations in the Upper Hunter district. It flies 

 heavily, with its long neck stretched out to the utmost ; but 

 it is capable of sustaining flight for a considerable distance. 



