382 



GEALLATOEES, OE WADING BIEDS. 



except in cases of absolute necessity. Its eggs, two or three in 

 number, are laid in the corn or grass ; the nest is nothing more 



Fig. 152. Little Bustard (Otis tetrax, Gould). 



than a hole scratched out in the earth, and with scarcely any 

 lining on the inside. 



The Great Bustard was formerly very common in Champagne, 

 but has now become extremely' rare. Nevertheless, it is the 

 only province in France in which this bird is to be met with, 

 and we might almost say that it has completely disappeared from 

 French soil. Innumerable troops of them are to be seen in the 

 steppes of Tartary and Southern Russia. 



BREVIPENNES (SHORT- WINGED BIRDS). 



The birds belonging to this family are distinguished from the 

 rest of the Grallce by such decisive characteristics that some 

 naturalists have proposed to include them in a separate group, to 

 be called Cur sores, or Runners ; an arrangement which has much 

 in its favour, although the simpler arrangement of Cuvier best 

 suits our purpose. In certain anatomical points, and especially 



