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.silUllT STALKS 



but is tlifficiilt t(i see except when feeding, about 

 sunset. This thev do in a line like tame o-eese on a 

 common ; yet they are b}' no means unwary. On the 

 approach of danger, first one and then another stretches 

 out his great wings, showing an expanse of white ; then 

 after a pause they start running and flapping till tliey get 

 enough way on to begin their heavy flight. This is so 

 slow that they are sometimes coursed and pulled down by 







TUE CiREAT BUSTARD. 



gTe}'houn(ls. Sand -grouse shoot by with the arrowy 

 flight of blue rock-]>igeons. A curious phenomenon of the 

 plains was a dust-spout, if I may coin the word, caused, 

 no doubt, bv one of those whirlwinds which sometimes 

 occur in abnormally still weather. It may have been 

 tw^enty miles ofi"', or farther, and was mushroom -shaped 

 like the column of smoke in a conventional eruption of 

 Vesuvius, 1)iit much more airy and transparent than that, 

 and it appeared to be stationary. 



To save the time occupied by pitching and striking 

 camp, morninfj- and evenino- we resorted to the villao-e 



