396 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



appears to prefer taking safety in flight 

 rather than by making use of its legs. 

 When it flies it stretches out its neck and 

 legs and is thus easily distinguishable. . . . 

 Early in spring, according to the mildness 

 of the season, they commence to prepare 

 for the cares of nidification ; and the 

 flocks then by degrees break up. The 

 males fight desperately for the possession 

 of the females, and may at that season 

 of the year be seen strutting about, acting 

 not unlike a Turkeycock." 



The Great Bustard has a peculiar and 

 very disagreeable smell when alive, and 

 its flesh is not now held in much esteem. 

 Dr. J. E. T. Aitchison informs us that 

 when he was on the Afghan Delimitation 

 Commission, a flock of these Bustards 

 was met with, and " Lieut. Rawlins suc- 

 ceeded in shooting one, but the stench 

 of the bird was so great that he almost 

 thought of leaving it ; it was so dark that 

 he scarcely knew what it was that he had 

 got, and the scent was almost enough to 

 put off any one from even a new acqui- 

 sition." Notwithstanding this, however, 

 we are told that the flesh was eaten next 

 day and found excellent. 



The nest of the Great Bustard is a 

 mere depression in the soil in a corn-field 



