BUSTARDS 9 



of which are excellent sporting birds. They get up 

 suddenly and go away with a heavy, but fairly swift 

 flight, some species uttering loud and raucous cries. 

 When believing themselves unobserved they crouch 

 on the ground with their necks stretched straight out 

 in front of them, and often endeavour to escape by 

 running through the grass with their heads held very 

 low. 



The best known in the bush country is the Red- 

 Crested Bustard, so called from the reddish tuft of 

 feathers on the nape of the male, more pronounced 

 during the breeding season, and fading soon after death. 

 Like all its family, it is rather solitary in habit, being found 

 usually singly or at mating times in pairs. It rises suddenly 

 and silently and has a way of zig-zagging through the 

 trees when flying away, thus affording a very sporting 

 shot. Its call is a series of single notes, harsh and 

 frequently repeated ; when uttering them the skin of the 

 throat is puffed out like a bladder. 



The most remarkable habit of this bird, however, is 

 the " towering " of the males. Towards sundown the 

 cock bird will suddenly rise straight into the air, higher, 

 and yet higher, above the sea of bush, until at a height 

 of over a hundred feet he pauses, as if suspended, with 

 flapping wings. Suddenly closing the latter tightly to 

 his sides he drops towards earth like a stone. With 

 such velocity does he fall that to the onlooker it seems 

 that he must be dashed to pieces ; but in a moment 

 the wings are once more outstretched, and with a couple 

 of graceful circles he alights safely and easily, to rise 

 once more and repeat the performance. I think these 

 aerial gymnastics probably have some connexion with 

 the pairing season, or atmospheric conditions, as it is 

 by no means always possible to witness them, and, 



