PLOVERS. 55 
in the south-western counties, the open wolds and shingly parts 
of the coast being its favourite resorts. The eggs, usually two in 
number, are laid on the bare ground, often among stones which 
they closely resemble in colour. ‘As is indicated by their large eyes 
these birds are to a great extent nocturnal in their habits, and they 
are of service to man in destroying numbers of slugs, beetles, field- 
mice, &e. Representatives of the other genera will be found in the 
Australian Thick-knee (Burhinus grallarius) (580) and the Large-billed 
Thick-knee (Orthorhamphus magnirostris) (519), which range from the 
Malay Archipelago to the shores of Australia. 
Family IX. Orrpip#. Bustarps. (Plate IX.) 
The Bustards are an Old World group of heavily-built birds, and are 
represented by numerous species presenting great variation in size. 
All are inhabitants of the plains and ‘deserts, and their stout legs and 
short thick toes, recalling those of the Ostrich-tribe, enable them to 
walk and run with great rapidity. In spite of their large, some- 
what clumsy bodies, their flight is often rapid and prolonged, and three 
species occasionally visit Britain during the colder half of the year. 
Of these the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) (585) [ Pl. IX.] was formerly an 
abundant resident on the extensive downs and plains of England, but has 
long since disappeared, except as an occasional visitor ; while the Little 
Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) (583) and the Houbara or Macqueen’s Bustard 
(Houbara macqueeni) (589) are stragglers, the latter having occurred on 
three occasions only. When courting the female, the male of the Great 
Bustard has an extraordinary method of showing off, and when at the 
height of his display presents one of the most curious sights imaginable. 
The tail is turned up and laid flat on the back, being kept in position 
by the long flight-feathers of the wings which are crossed above er 
the pure white under-tail-coverts, inner secondary quills, and wings 
coverts are then fully exposed and ruffled up so as to form a frill covering 
the entire back. At the same time the head is laid back between the 
shoulders, and by filling a specially developed pouch with air the neck is 
enormously inflated till only the crown of the head and ends of the long 
« whiskers” are visible. In this extraordinary posture the bird struts 
siowly in front of the female, springing round from time to time to 
exhibit the white under-tail-coverts. In the Case in the centre of this 
bay, the appearance of the Great Bustard while engaged in his love 
display has been admirably reproduced by Mr. G. Pickhardt. On the 
floor of Case 29 the size and position of the inflatable neck-pouch will 
be seen in the dissection made from a specimen which died i the 
Zoological Gardens during the mating-season. It is not known whether 
[Cases 
29, 30.] 
[Central 
Case. | 
