182 THEIR LOVE-SEASOy, 



it rises with facility into the air, and then flies high, 

 and to a distance. 



Its food during spring and summer consists of green 

 herbs and tender leaves, as also of cabbage and turnip 

 leaves, insects and worms ; in the autumn, of various 

 kinds of grain and seeds. 



The Great Bustard is polygamous. The love-season is 

 in April and May. Desperate battles then take place 

 amongst the males : the tail of the bird is raised and 

 spread, the wings hang down to the ground, and they 

 charge each other like turkey-cocks. The strongest 

 collects about him the largest harem, and pairing takes 

 place in the same amusing way as with turkeys. The 

 female lavs two to three olive-srrev es:s;s, marked with 

 faint, sometimes hardly distinguishable, liver-brown spots, 

 in a hole she herself makes in the ground. The period 

 of incubation is said to be twenty-eight days. As soon 

 as the young are hatched they are capable of following 

 the mother. 



The flesh of the old birds is somewhat hard and dry, 

 but that of the young ones, especially in the autumn, when 

 they are fat, is looked on as a delicacy. 



Formerly the Great Bustard was quite common on the 

 extensive heaths and plains of Scania ; and, not very long 

 since — so I was assured by the Count Corfitz Beckfriis — 

 it bred in the south-western parts of that province, near 

 Falsterbo, off which place is the reef so much dreaded by 

 mariners. But at the present day it is rarely met with, 

 excepting in the vicinity of the town of Ahus, situated 

 on the south-eastern coast. A few years ago, indeed, when 

 I was travelling through that part of the country, my 

 driver spoke of having seen three of those birds during 

 that very summer. 



Once on a time, however, the Great Bustard makes its 

 appearance in localities where one would little expect 



