576 OTITID^E. 



under tail coverts white, some of the feathers with transverse bands and 

 brownish mottlings ; chin, throat and cheeks white, the feathers of the latter 

 with dark tips ; feathers of the lower neck and breast grizzled with pencillings, 

 the elongated feathers on the breast pale bluish white, with dark shafts ; 

 rest of the lower surface white, also the axillaries and wing lining ; primaries 

 white at their base, and black for the terminal half, except the 1st primary, 

 which in some specimens are dark brown on the outer web ; lesser wing 

 coverts whitish with very fine vermiculations ; winglet black ; bill horny 

 brown ; irides bright yellow ; legs greenish yelloiv. 



Length. 25 to 32 inches; wing 14 to 15 ; tail 8-5 to IO. In non-breeding 

 plumage the male has no crest nor the elongated black and white feathers, but 

 the dark lax feathers are well developed in their place. 



_Efa. Sind, Persia, Beloochistan and Afghanistan, Punjab, N.-W. and 

 Central Provinces, Rajputana, Kutch and Guzerat, also Kattiawar. 



In Sind, this fine bird is extremely common during winter, affecting chiefly 

 the large plains and hill sides covered with Grewia bushes, on the fruits of 

 which they principally live. It is usually found in parties of 2, 4, or 6, and, as 

 game, is much sought for by all sportsmen. It is also largely hawked by the 

 Sindees, Falco sacer, Juggur and peregrinus being used for the purpose. It 

 is found all over the plains of the Punjab, also in Beloochistan, Southern 

 Persia and Afghanistan ; breeding in Persia and Afghanistan, where it occurs 

 in the summer. In Rajputana too it has been found, also in Kutch, Northern 

 Guzerat and Kattiawar. The following, extracted from The Field, entitled 

 " Oobara shooting in Lower Sind," I think by "an old Sindee," gives a fair 

 account of the mode of shooting this Bustard. He says: "So far as my 

 experience goes, the Oobara, which may be briefly described as a bird of the 

 Bustard tribe, is chiefly to be found in Sind. I have occasionally come 

 across a solitary one or two in Rajputana and Guzerat, and I also presume 

 they are to be met with in many parts of the Punjab, and, in fact, perhaps 

 anywhere where large sandy plains exist. They are, I believe, seldom, if ever, 

 to be found in black soil. 



" The Oobara is a migratory bird, coming in with the cold weather, and 

 disappearing at the first approach of the hot season. They are usually to be 

 found in pairs, and feed early in the mornings and late in the evenings. At 

 these times they are so wary, as seldom to be got at even by careful stalking. 

 They appear, however, to be peculiarly susceptible to heat, as the moment the 

 sun attains any power they retire into the shade of a bush, and, if undisturbed, 

 lie quiet throughout the heat of the day, or if flushed, only take short flights. 

 This is the time to get them, and the usual method is by stalking them on a 

 well-trained camel, driven by an experienced shikaree. The camel is made 

 to circle round and round the bird, and the moment the bird perceives this it 



