BIEDS OF EGYPT. 225 



side ; remainder of the feathers dusky, with sandy-coloured 

 edges, and tipped with rufous ; sides of the face sandy 

 coloured, with dusky tips to the feathers ; feathers on the 

 back and scapulars finely pencilled with black, the centres 

 stained and spotted with rufous, many of the wing-coverts 

 having the centre of the feathers black, forming large spots ; 

 quiUs dusky, edged with pale brown ; chin and belly cream- 

 colour ; sides of the neck, front of the chest, sides, flanks, and 

 under tail-coverts deep sandy orange, spotted with black ; 

 beak and legs yellowish brown ; irides brown . 



Entire length 6 inches ; culmen '55; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 3'75 ; tarsus 1. 



¥ig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 264. 



Order GRALLvE. 

 Pam. 0TIDID-5i. 



220. Otis houbara, Gm. Houbara Bustard. 



This fine Bustard is plentiful in most parts of Northern 

 Africa, frequenting the desert, and ranges, I believe, through- 

 out Egypt and Nubia. I have never myself met with it 

 alive, but it is not uncommon in the market at Alexandria. 



This species is distinguished by a long crest of white 

 feathers and a thick ruff of long narrow ones on each side of 

 the neck, the upper ones black and the lower ones white ; 

 the whole of the upper plumage is sandy brown, each feather 

 marked with zigzag bars of dusky colour ; primaries white 

 at their base and dark brown towards their ends ; tail barred 

 with grey and black ; throat white, freckled with brown ; 



