BUSTARD. RASORES. OTIS. 449 



sufficiently powerful, without attrition, to effect the complete 

 dissolution of the food in many herbivorous or granivorous 

 birds. The Little Bustard will also feed eagerly upon grain, 

 and it is said to devour worms and insects. 



It lays its egg upon the bare ground under the cover of Eggs. 

 the herbage, or low plants, such as the cistus, &c. growing 

 upon the plains it usually frequents. The eggs are from 

 three to five in number, and of a clear shining grass-green 

 colour, without spot or stain. 



When suddenly disturbed, this bird immediately takes 

 wing, flying with considerable strength and velocity, from 

 fifty to a hundred yards, raised but little above the surface 

 of the ground ; and, upon alighting, runs off with great 

 swiftness, by this mode generally eluding the pursuit. 



It is a common inhabitant of the champaign and arid parts 

 of Spain, Italy, and Turkey ; is tolerably abundant in the 

 south of France, and very numerous on the coasts of Bar- 

 bary. In Switzerland and Germany it is a rare bird. Its 

 flesh is excellent, and surpasses in flavour that of our most 

 esteemed gallinaceous game. 



PLATE 66. A male bird, in the young or winter plumage, 



and of the natural size. 



Length, when extended, one foot five inches and a half. General 

 Breadth, along the extended wings, two feet ten inches tion. 

 and a half. Bill blackish-brown ; the upper mandible 

 emarginated. Irides saffron-yellow. Crown of the head 

 and occiput cream-yellow, speckled and spotted with 

 black. Chin and throat white. Neck cream-yellow ; 

 the centres of the feathers, and a cross bar in them, 

 black. Hind part of the neck destitute of feathers, and 

 covered with grey down. The whole of the upper parts 

 scapulars, and lesser wing-coverts, beautifully barred 

 and mottled with buff-orange, cream-yellow, and black. 

 Greater wing-coverts white, with two black bars. First 

 four quills half white, half black ; fifth entirely white, 

 VOL. i. v f 



