432 Mr. H. Whistler on the [Ibis, 



and Khivva, wliicli stretch for miles — a waste of hard, sandy 

 soil sparsely covered with small desert plants and wild 

 Caper bushes, with here and there a tiny hamlet. In such 

 plains patches of sand-dunes occur, and in their shelter a 

 sunken field or two is cultivated. The neighbourhood of 

 these little oases is generally a sure find for Houbara, rather 

 than the general expanse of the plain. The main require- 

 ments of the bird are two — an area of barren ground, only 

 disturbed by wandering herds, on which to spend the day, 

 and cultivation in which to feed by night. The three types 

 of ground described above, each in their own way fulfil these 

 requirements. Unfortunately, the habit of visiting cultiva- 

 tion renders it fairly easy to capture Houbara, which are 

 snared in nooses set round some waste-girt field. Birds 

 caught in this way have been brought to me alive and 

 uninjured. 



The Houbara is seldom found solitary : a suitable area is 

 usually frequented by several birds, perhaps a dozen in num- 

 ber, which, while they can scarcely be described as forming 

 a flock, certainly keep loosely in touch with each other. 



As is well known, the Houbara forms the finest quarry for 

 the Peregrines and Sakers of the Falconer ; but altiiough I 

 had some good sport in J hang District with these birds, it 

 did not compare with that formerly enjoyed about Hissar 

 in the south-east Punjab. For at J hang the quarry was by 

 no means so abundant, and the areas of their occurrence 

 not so easily accessible, the result being that the primary 

 requisite for success in this difficult branch of falconry, 

 viz. frequent and regular flights, was not fulfilled. The 

 native falconers of the district seldom hawk the Houbara 

 with success, their knowledge of any but short-winged 

 Hawks being small. 



The earliest date on which I have seen the Houbara in 

 the district is 6 October, 1918 ; it is most abundant from 

 November to the end of January. A fair number remain 

 into Februar}^, and the latest date on which I have met the 

 species personally is 21 Febi'uary, 1919 ; according to native 

 testimony a few birds are to be met with until the middle 

 of March. 



