SYPHEOTIS AURITA '213 



however, after being marked down, they are very difficult to find, 

 as they commence running the moment they alight, and often get 

 200 or 300 yards away before you reach the spot where you have 

 marked them down. But for this, scarcely a bird would escape." 



Again, Mr. James says : — 



" The ordinary way in which a single gun pursues Florican is 

 to walk through the grass, with a few beaters, listening for the 

 cry of the bird and following it ; in this way the bird can be 

 tracked for a considerable distance. Before very long the bird will 

 be seen jumping up above the long grass, as some think to pick 

 grasshoppers off the stems. The best way then is to run as hard 

 as possible up to the place when the bird will rise. They drop very 

 easily to shot, but when once flushed are difficult to flush again." 



All writers and sportsmen seem to concur in considering the 

 Lesser Florican to be much less wild in its nature than any other 

 Bustard, and when in fairly high grass or crops it often lies very 

 close, not rising until the line of beaters approaches within a few 

 yards of it and seldom rising more than thirty yards in front of 

 the line. Jerdon says that, " it feeds chiefly in the morning and is 

 then easily raised, but during the heat of the day it lies very close 

 and is often flushed with difficulty. I have known one instance of 

 one being killed by a horse stepping on it." 



As might be expected the Likh is rather a favourite bird with 

 falconers ; its habitat, its powers of flight, and the ease and frequency 

 with which it is found all combining towards this. Jerdon writes : — 



" Its pursuit is consequently a favourite sport, and from the 

 open nature of the ground it frequents, it is well adapted for being 

 hawked. I have killed it occasionally with the Lugger, but gener- 

 ally with the Shaheeii, but have already given an account of the 

 manner of hunting it. Should the Shaheen miss her first stoop, 

 I have seen the Florikin accelerate its speed so greatly, that the 

 falcon was unable to come up with it again under 600 yards or so. 

 I have seen one struck dead by the Wokhab (Aquila vindhiana). 

 I had slipped a Lugge at it, which was in hot pursuit, though 

 at some little distance behind, when two of these eagles came 

 down from a vast height, and joined in the chase. One of them 

 made a headlong swoop at it, which the Florikin most skilfully 

 avoided, only, however, to fall a victim to the talons of the other, 

 which stooped almost immediately after its confederate, and dashed 

 the poor bird lifeless to the ground. It had not, however, time to 

 pick it up, for I rode up, and the eagles soared off most unwillingly, 



