GREAT BUSTARD. 435 



confined altogether to the southern parts of the peninsula ; 

 and I learn from another source, that in 1833 a Great 

 Bustard was killed in the district of Lower Luleav, in 

 Sweden, and that some of its feathers are preserved in the 

 Museum at Stockholm. It is found in Russia; and Pen- 

 nant, in his Arctic Zoology, mentions that it is frequent 

 over all the desert of Tartary, and beyond Lake Baikal. 

 It is a solitary bird, but collects into small flocks at 

 the time of its southern migration, and winters about 

 Astracan. 



In Germany, these birds are numerous, but very difficult 

 to approach ; the sportsmen of that country use rifles in 

 the pursuit, and practise as many devices to get within 

 shot as are employed by the Highlanders of Scotland 

 when stalking red deer. The Bustard is a rare bird in 

 Holland. 



In France, according to M. Vieillot, the Great Bustard, 

 naturally very wild, prefers champaign and stony countries, 

 far from any habitations, and it only approaches villages 

 when deep snows interfere with its means of subsistence ; 

 they are in families in autumn, and later in the season 

 these broods unite, forming flocks, consisting of from forty 

 to two hundred individuals. In this state they may be 

 seen from the beginning of December till March, when 

 they again divide and disperse. 



The Great Bustard is found in Spain, Provence, Italy, 

 Dalmatia, the Levant, and, according to M. Temminck, 

 on the plains of Greece. The Russian Naturalists who 

 accompanied the expedition from their own country to the 

 Caucasus, say, this bird is found in winter at the foot of 

 that mountain, and in the vicinity of the river Don. 



Much of the natural history of the Great Bustard is 

 included in the various quotations and notices already 

 inserted. These birds are polygamous, the males only 



F F 2 



