BRITISH BIRDS. 



371 



THE LITTLE BUSTARD. 



(Otis Tctrax, Linn. Outardc cancpctierc, Temm.) 



LENGTH seventeen inches. The bill is pale 

 brown; irides red; the top of the head black, 

 spotted with pale rusty: the sides of the head, the 

 chin, and throat, reddish white, marked with a few 

 dark spots; the whole neck in the male is black, 

 encircled with an irregular band of white near the 

 top and bottom; the back and wings rufous, mot- 

 tled with brown, and crossed with fine irregular 

 black lines : the under parts of the body, and outer 

 edges of the wings, are white; the tail consists of 

 eighteen feathers; the middle ones tawny, barred 

 with black, the others white, marked with a few 

 irregular bands of black; legs grey. The female 



