40 



OTINJE. OTIS. 



in number, nearly three inches long, two inches and two- 

 twelfths in breadth, olive-brown, sparingly blotched with pale 

 greenish-brown. On the Continent, where this bird is more 

 common, it is often exposed in the markets, its flesh being 

 highly esteemed. It is said to be polygamous. 



Common Bustard. Bearded Bustard. 



Otis Tarda, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 264. Otis Tarda, Lath. 

 Ind. Ornith. ii. 658. Otis Tarda, Temm. Man. d'Omith. ii. 

 506. Otis Tarda, Great Bustard, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, iv. 



163. OTIS TETRAO. LITTLE BUSTARD. 



Male about eighteen inches long ; in summer, with the up- 

 per part of the head and the nape pale reddish-yellow, varie- 

 gated with brownish-black ; the throat and sides of the head 

 light greyish-blue ; a narrow ring of white on the neck, suc- 

 ceeded by a broad collar of black, below which anteriorly arc 

 a half ring of white and another of black ; the upper parts pale 

 reddish -yellow, transversely undulated with black ; the edge 

 of the wing, the alula, outer secondary coverts, basal part and 

 tips of the quills and tail feathers, together with all the lower 

 parts of the body, white ; the tail of sixteen feathers. Female 

 with the head, neck, upper parts and sides pale reddish-yellow, 

 streaked and undulated with brownish-black ; throat white ; 

 the other parts as in the male. In winter the male resembles 

 the female. 



Male, 18, 35, 10, 1, 2 T \, 1 T V, & Female, 17. 



This species, which is said to inhabit the countries border- 

 ing the Mediterranean, to be common in the southern parts 

 of Europe, where it resides all the year, but to become rare 

 as we proceed northward, ranks in Britain merely as a strag- 

 gler, although it has been killed in England at all seasons. 

 In Scotland it is extremely rare, the only individual recently 

 obtained there, a female, having been shot by Mr Adamson, 

 near St Andrews, in March 1840. The Little Bustard is re- 

 markably shy and vigilant, runs with great speed, and flies 

 well, although on ordinary occasions it seldom rises on wing ; 

 feeds on worms, insects, herbs, and seeds, and nestles among 

 grass or corn, laying from three to five glossy green eggs, two 

 inches in length, an inch and a half in breadth. It is said to 

 be polygamous, and the young follow their mother like those 

 of a domestic fowl. 



Otis Tetrao, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 264. Otis Tetrao, Lath. 

 Ind. Ornith. ii. 659. Otis Tetrao, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. ii. 

 507. Otis Tetrao, Little Bustard, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, 



