Great Bustards. 105 



wander ; it likewise makes a further use of it in defending 

 itself against the attacks of birds of prey ; on such occa- 

 sions it throws out the water with such violence as not 

 unf requently to baffle the pursuit of the enemy. 



The whole of this statement as to the use of the 

 pouch is purely imaginary, as there is little or no 

 doubt that the pouch, which does not appear to 

 have been present in every specimen dissected, is 

 found only in the adult during the breeding season, 

 contracting during the non-breeding season "so 

 considerably as to become insignificant." It is 

 probably inflated at will when the bird is " show- 

 ing off/-' at which time he puts himself into the 

 most extraordinary postures imaginable, "unex- 

 celled for a love display by any of the game 

 birds." 



