GRALLAT0R1,E. 327 



Otis, Lin. 



The Bustards, in addition to the massive carriage of the Gallinaceae, 

 have a long neck and legs, with a moderate bill; their superior mandible is 

 slightly arcuated and arched, which, as well as the very small membranes 

 between the base of the toes, again recal the idea of the Gallinaceae. But 

 the nakedness of the lower part of their legs, their whole anatomy, and 

 even the flavour of their flesh, place them among the Grallatoriae, and as 

 they have no thumb, the smaller species approximate closely to the Plo- 

 vers. Their tarsi are reticulated, and their wings short ; they fly but 

 seldom, hardly ever using their wings, except, like the Ostriches, to as- 

 sist themselves in running. They feed indifferently on grain and herbs, 

 worms and insects. 



O. ^arc^a, L.; Enl. 245. (The Great Bustard). Has the plumage 

 on its back of a bright fawn-colour, crossed with numerous black 

 streaks, the remainder greyish. The feathers of the ears of the 

 male, which is the largest bird in Europe, are lengthened out on 

 both sides, forming a kind of large mustachios. This species, which 

 is considered as being among the best game of that continent, fre- 

 quents its extensive plains, building on the ground among the corn. 

 0. tetrax, L. ; Enl. 25 and 10. (The Little Bustard). More 

 than a half smaller, and much less common than the tarda; brown 

 above, sprinkled with black; whitish beneath; neck of the male 

 black, with two white collars. 



The bill of most species foreign to Europe, is more slender than that 

 of the Little Bustards which belong to it. Among the former we 

 may remark, 



O. houbara, Gm. ; Le Houhara, Desfontaines, Acad, des Sc, 

 1787, pi. x; Vieill. Galer. pi. ccxxvii. (The Houbara). So 

 called on account of the ruif of elongated feathers which ornaments 

 both sides of its neck. From Africa and Arabia*. 



CHARADRIUsf, Lin. 



The Plovers, also, have no thumb ; the bill is moderate, compressed, 

 and enlarged at the point. 



They may be divided into two subgenera: viz. 



CEdicnemusJ, Tern. 



In which the end of the bill is inflated above as well as beneath, and 

 the fossae of the nostrils only extend half its length. They are larger 

 species which prefer dry and stony places, and feed on snails, insects, ike. 

 They have some affinity with the smaller species of Bustards. Their 



• I leave among the Bustards all Latham's species, such as the /Ifra, Lath. Syn. 

 II, pi. Ixxix; — the beiighalensis, Edw. 250; — the Arabs, Id. 12; — but I Avithdraw the 

 (Edicnemus, which, on account of its compressed bill, enlarged at the end, begins the 

 following genus : — Add, Otis nuba, Rupp. pi. 1; — Ot. denhami ; — Ot. torquatu, Cuv., a 

 new species from the Cape. 



t Charadrius, the Greek name of a nocturnal aquatic bird, comes from Charadra. 

 Gaza translates it by Hiaticula. 



X (Edicnemus (swelled leg), a name invented by Belon for the Thick-knee. 



