178 GAME-BIRDS OF INDIA 



for, by the man who wishes to bring it to bag. It will be wiser on 

 his part to start with the conviction that he will have to use patience, 

 perseverance and brains before he can pat himself on the back as 

 being a wiser bird than the one he is after. 



Driving, such as is so often succesfuUy carried out in the pursuit 

 of the European Bustard, is not often resorted to in India, and the 

 destruction of our Indian birds is more often accomplished by stalking 

 and the aid of a small-bore rifle. Even this, however, is but seldom 

 possible in the truest sense of the word, for the bareness of the 

 country in which the game is found and the general complete 

 absence of all real hills or elevations prevent any easy approach 

 under cover. 



In the ' Indian Field,' 1904, Major E. W. Burton gave an inter- 

 esting account of a stalk which ended in success. After some 

 preliminary remarks, he says : — 



" At last the white neck of the cock Bustard caught my eye some 

 600 yards away, and in a few moments, with the aid of field-glasses, 

 three others were distinguished not far from the first and all were 

 busy feeding. It was most interesting to watch them stalking about 

 in the stately way they have. 



" Bustard have a keen sense of smell, and as any approach except 

 down wind appeared impossible, there was nothing for it but to wait. 

 In the course of half an hour the birds were tending towards some 

 higher ground on which were a few small bushes. A detour under 

 cover of a fold in the ground took me, without any particular pre- 

 caution, to within 150 yards of these, and a crawl on hands and 

 knees and elbows, and sometimes on the stomach — all through 

 sopping wet plough-land — took me some 80 yards nearer. Sitting 

 slowly up to see where my friends were, I saw a long white neck 

 appear round one side of a bush, about 120 yards away, peering this 

 way and that to see what strange green and brown beast it could be 

 sitting in the field (my shooting suit was of the greenish-brown 

 heather mixture, and much bespattered with mud). 1 sat like a 

 carved image, as the least movement would be fatal, and that curious 

 bird actually paced slowly on until 70 yards away without being 

 able to make me out. Opportunity was taken as the bird paused 

 for a moment behind a small bush, with long tufts of grass growing 

 through it, to get the little '310 rifle to bear in his direction with 

 elbows on knees ready to fire. At last discovery appeared imminent, 

 so taking careful aim at the lower edge of the breast I dropped him 

 with a shot through the body. Loud hoarse grunts of alarm showed 



