Their Eggs and Nests. 159 



ORDER.— ALECTORIDES. 

 FAMILY L— GRUID.E. 



Q'Kk^Y.—iGriis cincred). 



A couple of centuries since it is not improbable the 

 Crane may have — at least, occasionally — bred in this 

 country ; but now it is become a very rare and casual 

 visitor. 



FAMILY II.— OTIDIDiE. 



GREAT BUSTARD— ((9//> tarda). 

 This noble bird, once abundant enough on our wide 

 plains and wolds in England, is now, I fear, almost 

 extinct among us, as so far as I am aware no very 

 recent^ capture of it has been announced. It used, 

 before the gun became so common and so fatal to 

 birds of much interest to the ornithologist or others, to 

 be customarily pursued with greyhounds. These birds 

 do not pair, and their nest is said to be a mere natural 

 saucer-shaped hole in the bare ground. The eggs are 

 seldom more than two, or at most three, in number, 

 and are of an olive-green ground, blotched and spotted 

 with two or three shades of brown, lighter and 

 darker. 



LITTLE BUSTARD— (C'/Zj- tetrax). 

 Only a casual and not a summer visitor. 



1 Since this was written, several instances have occurred, detailed 

 notices of which are given in the last edition of Yarrell (iii., p. 207). 



