MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 1153 



out of a party of four. They had been about the village for some days 

 in the gram and mustard fields. I had not heard of them or I should 

 have gone out to try to watch them. I saw them flying round on the 

 Sunday morning when out pigsticking, but could not tell then that they 

 were anything out of the ordinary. 



The Zamindar tells me that they used to fly around on the evenings. 

 They have not been seen since this one was shot. All four were about the 

 same size. The man's father tells me that a bird like it was shot here 

 about 25 years ago, but whether that was another Otis tarda or not it is 

 impossible to say. All the people about here recognise this as a Bustard 

 but all agree it is a strange. 



Would you please let me know if this is a specimen of Otis tarda, as 1 

 see the only one previously recorded was shot near Marden 40 years ago. 



Laekeana, Sind, M. H. SIMONDS, Capt., 



8th January 1911. 7th Hariana Lancers. 



The above skin was sent to Mr. Stuart Baker, who writes as follows : — 



It is now almost exactly forty years ago that Hume through his collec- 

 tors obtained the first specimen of the Great Bustard ever obtained in 

 India. This bird was killed on the 23rd December 1870 at Mardan, north 

 of the Kabul River, and was one of a small party feeding in some mustard 

 fields. 



A second specimen of this magnificent bird has now been obtained by 

 Captain M. H. Simonds at Jacobabad, Sind. This bird, like Hume's, is 

 a young female adult and Captain Simonds has recorded the following 

 notes as to its measurements, &c. : — Length 31"5"; tail 8"; wing 19-25" ; 

 tarsus 4-5"; bill from gape 2-75"; weight, after cleaning, 5 lbs.'' 



The weight of the uncleaned bird, fresh, we may estimate at about 8 lbs. 

 The wing in its dry state is just over 19" and the bill from tip to feather 

 of forehead is U38". The tarsus if measured at the side from joint to 

 joint is 4 - 30"; mid toe, including claw, 2-41". 



The rufous pectoral land, which in the male extends across the heart, 

 is well developed in this female on both sides of the heart, though hidden 

 to a great extent by the superlying grey feathers. 



Dacca, 13th March 1911. E. C. STUART BAKER. 



No. XIII.— THE EUROPEAN BUSTARD (OTIS TARDA) 

 IN NORTHERN INDIA. 



I am sending you a wing and foot of a great European Bustard, two of 

 which were shot by a Daffadar of the 15th Lancers on the 8th instant, 

 between this place and Mardan. 



Seven of these rare visitors have been seen near here during the last 

 fortnight, and I have been out after them several times but could not get 



