THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 31 



drinking when in confinemeAt in the Zoological Gardens in Lon- 

 don, and its not drinking may be a habit from which it departs 

 where water is plentiful. According to Messrs. Chapman and 

 Buck the fact that it does drink often leads to its destruction. 

 They write : — " There is, however, one period of the year when 

 the great bustard falls an easy prey to the clumsiest of gunners." 



" During the long Andulucian summer a torrid sun has shrunk 

 up every brook and stream that crosses the cultivated lands ; the 

 chinky, cracked mud, which in winter formed the bed of shallow 

 lakes and lagoons, now yields no drop of moisture for birds or 

 beasts. The larger rivers still carry their waters from sierra to 

 sea, but an adaptive genius is required to utilise these for pur- 

 poses of irrigation. All water required for the cattle is drawn up 

 from wells ; the old world lever with its bucket at one end and 

 its counterpoise at the other has to provide for the needs of all. 

 These wells are distributed all over the plains. As the herdsmen 

 put the primitive contrivances into operation and swinging up 

 bucketful after bucketful of cool water, the cattle crowd around, 

 impatient to receive it as it rushes down the stone troughing. The 

 thirsty animals drink their fill, splashing and wasting as much 

 as they consume, so that a puddle is always formed about these 

 behideros. The moisture only extends a few yards, gradually 

 diminishing, till the trickling streamlet is lost in the famishing 

 soil. 



" These moist places are a fatal trap to the bustard. Before 

 dawn one of the farm-people will conceal himself so as to command 

 at a short range all points of the miniature swamp. A slight 

 hollow is dug for the purpose, having clods arranged around, 

 between which the gun can be levelled with murderous accuracy. 

 As day begins to dawn, the Bustard will take a flight in the direc- 

 tion of the well, alighting at a point some few hundred yards dis- 

 tant. They satisfy themselves that no enemy is about, and then, 

 with cautious, stately step, make for their morning draught. 

 One big bird steps on ahead of the rest ; and as he cautiously 

 draws near, he stops now and again to assure himself that all is 

 right and that his companions are coming too — these are not in 

 a compact body, but following at intervals of a few j^ards. The 



