THE INDIAN BUSTARD 



THE INDIAN BUSTARD (Eupodotis Edwardsi) 



This fine bird weighs from 17 to 22 Ibs., 

 and is, in my opinion, excellent upon the table. 

 I have bagged bustard in Mysore, where they 

 are not uncommon, both with the rifle and with 

 an 8-bore shot-gun. They are also found in the 

 Bombay Presidency, Kathiawar, the Deccan, Berar, 

 Rajputana, the Punjab, etc. In Mysore, bustard 

 frequent the same ground as the Indian antelope, 

 but exhibit a marked preference for such parts of 

 it as are well clad with short scrub, or bushes. 

 The white neck of the cock is a conspicuous 

 object, even when all the body of the bird is 

 hidden by a bush, and it can be seen, a long 

 way off, overtopping the scrub. The bustard 

 possesses but three toes, and greatly prefers the 

 use of his powerful legs to that of his wings, but 

 when put up and forced to use the latter, he fre- 

 quently flies for two or three miles before alighting. 

 Bustard are very wary birds, and it is not easy 

 to stalk near enough to one for an ordinary 1 2-bore 

 gun to suffice to bring him down ; but if the 

 direction of their flight when put up on any par- 

 ticular favourite spot be noted, and the sportsman 

 on a subsequent day conceal himself in that line, 

 sending his men round to drive the ground towards 

 him, he may obtain a good shot at a bird passing 

 overhead well within range of that weapon, since 

 the bustard usually flies low. 



In Mysore, bustard are generally found solitary 



381 



