THE INDIAN BUSTARD. IJ 



anterior horns did not appear till the third year, although the 

 posterior horns were well developed early in the second. 

 Doubtless many of the two-horned individuals seen are young. 

 Blyth came to the conclusion that the two-horned form is 

 merely a variety, and after reading all that has been written 

 by McMaster and Sterndale on the subject, I agree with him." 

 The Indian bustard 1 (Enpodotis edwardsii) was occa- 

 sionally met with on the plains and afforded good sport for 

 the rifle ; I used to stalk them in the same way as I did the 

 antelope, with this difference, that they generally stood and 

 allowed me to circle round them, gradually decreasing the 

 circumference until I got within shot ; their power of conceal- 

 ing themselves behind a small bush or tuft of grass was 

 wonderful. They differ considerably both in colour and 

 appearance from the European bustard, and are from four to 

 five feet in length ; generally weigh about twenty-six to 

 twenty-eight pounds, get on the wing very easily, and fly 

 very long distances. Jerdon states that one sportsman has 

 killed over a thousand of these birds with the rifle. The 

 females and poults are fair eating. 



1 See plate " Spearing Antelope," page 5. 



