Bustards. 393 



general, but in some of the Bustards the 

 bases of the feathers of the body-plumage 

 are pink. This pink colour is not visible 

 till the feathers are lifted up. I have 

 been able to examine museum specimens 

 only, some of them very old ; and conse- 

 quently the pink tinge on the bases of 

 the feathers may have disappeared with 

 time. Sportsmen and others should in- 

 vestigate this character when handling 

 freshly shot birds. In the Floricans the 

 pink tinge is present even when the skin 

 is old. 



