193 



Sub-Order OTIDES. 



Family OTIDIME. 



GREAT BUSTARD. Otis tarda (Linnaeus). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, * Birds of Great Britain,' vol. iv, pi. 

 17 ; Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol. vii, pi. 508 ; Lilford, 

 ' Coloured Figures,' vol. v, pi. 1. 



This magnificent bird, indigenous and plentiful in parts 

 of England until a comparatively recent date, is at the pre- 

 sent day only an occasional wanderer, chiefly in winter. 

 Its visits are irregular, and the numbers which appear 

 fluctuate considerably. Thus in 1890-91 quite a visitation 

 of Bustards took place, and specimens were obtained 

 from Norfolk, Sussex, Essex, Wiltshire, Hampshire, and 

 Carmarthenshire, ('Field,' February 28th, 1891). Other 

 examples have been recorded of recent years as follows : 

 One from Costessy, Norfolk, February 1st, 1894 ; one from 

 Market Lavington (Wiltshire Downs), October, 1897 (Hart- 

 ing) ; two from Jersey in December, 1899 (H. MacKay, 

 ' Zoologist,' 1904, p. 378) ; two from North-east Lincoln- 

 shire in 1902, viz., one from Weelsby, December 8th, and 

 another from Tetney cow-marsh, December 29th (G. H. 

 Caton Haigh, 'Zoologist,' 1903, p. 368). 



In Scotland, this species has now become very rare ; 

 one was procured from the Orkneys on March 29th, 1876, 

 before which time the bird was unknown in those Islands 

 Field,' April 8th and 15th, 1876). 



It is difficult to say whether the Great Bustard is yet 

 to be included in the Irish List. Messrs. Ussher and 

 Warren have not included it in their recent work on ' The 

 Birds of Ireland ' (though mentioned by Smith among 

 the birds of Cork) ; however, in December, 1902, a Great 

 Bustard was shot, and another was seen in the same place 

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