186 Order XII 



is blue-grey, becoming darker on the wings, and adults 

 have a bare red crown -patch on the black and white 

 head. Herons are often termed Cranes in Scotland by 

 the ignorant, a fact which may cause erroneous records. 



Suborder Otides 

 Family OTIDIDJE, or Bustards 

 Bustards have short thick bills, long feet with 



"I "- 



Great Bustards 



stout toes, moderate wings, and soft rounded tails. 

 The three properly developed toes all point forwards. 

 These birds are large and heavy and inhabit bare plains, 

 sandy wastes or wide corn-fields. 



The Great Bustard is as familiar to most people by 

 name as the Great Auk, but with better reason, for it 

 bred in Norfolk and Suffolk till about 1838, on the 

 downs and wolds of other eastern and southern counties 



