118 



THE LITTLE BUSTARD. 



Otis minor. WILLOUGHBY. 

 PLATE III. 



Otis tetrax, Linn. Outard cannepetiere, Buff, and Temm. 

 Little, or Lesser Bustard of British authors. 



THERE appear to be several small species of Bustard, 

 which are subject to a much greater change of 

 plumage than the last or some of the large Indian 

 and African birds, and it is the case with this very 

 rare British visitant, which, however, is only seen 

 here in its less obtrusive garb, or that assumed after 

 incubation has ceased. Specimens have occurred 

 in Cornwall, Devonshire, Hampshire, Oxford, and 

 Kent, also in Essex, Norfolk, and Suffolk, York- 

 shire, and Northumberland, becoming more rare 

 northward. Once only has it occurred in Scotland 

 that we are aware of, that mentioned by Mr. Yarrell 

 as having been killed near Montrose, in the winter 

 of 1833 ; and, in Ireland, two are recorded by 

 Mr. Thomson to have been seen in the county of 

 Wicklow, in August of the same year, one of which 

 was procured.* . In its extra British distribution it 

 is not very widely spread, and on the continent is 

 * Proceed. Zool. Soc. 1835, p. 79. 



