OTIDID^. 
147 
Family Otidid.i;. 
209. Otis tarda, Linn. The Great Bustard. 
Spanish. Abutarda. 
Favier states that this Bustard " occasionally migrates to 
Morocco during winter from the European side of the Straits, 
but very rarely remains for the breeding-season/^ 
I have seen one or two specimens obtained near Tangier ; 
and Mr. Drake also mentions another ; but it is said to be 
veiy scarce. The absence of specimens, however, is hardly a 
proof of its rarity, as it is in winter such a difficult bird to 
approach. 
On the Spanish side of the Straits the Great Bustard is 
first to be met with near Gibraltar on the plain below 
Facinas, about ten or twelve miles from Tarifa ; northwards 
from there it is to be seen in gradually increasing numbers 
all along the veja of the Laguna de la Janda up to Casa Vieja 
and along by Medina Sidonia to the plains which lie towards 
Jerez and the marismas of the Guadalquivir. It is found in 
abundance along the line of railway to near Utrera, being 
more plentiful in the open corn-growing country about Mar- 
chena, Coronil, and Carmona than in any other district that 
I have visited ; thence to the north side of the Guadalquivir 
it is also common, particularly about Brenes and Alcala 
del Rio, sometimes appearing very near to Seville : in fact in 
all open country the Great Bustard may be expected to be seen 
in varying numbers. I never saw any very large flocks ; oc- 
casionally I have observed as many as fifty together ; but from 
ten to twenty-five is the usual number seen at once. I never 
could detect any migration of the Great Bustard, which is 
singular, as in the Crimea I recollect very large flights appeared 
on passage in autumn. Perhaps it is that in Andalucia they 
are always able to obtain sufficient food. In a wild state they 
feed chiefly on grass and vegetable substances ; and when kept 
tame they will devour any amount of grasshoppers, insects, 
&c., the best food for them, however, being cabbage-leaves. 
Bustards are very difficult to approach except by some such 
stratagem as driving a cart near them, when they seem to fear 
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