5 1 6 Great Bustard of India, 



ward over the cheek ; the rest of the head and whole of the 

 neck white ; the feathers of the cheeks, chin, and upper part 

 of the throat and neck long and loose, giving those parts a 

 very clumsy and swollen look, the upper part of the neck 

 being 1 4 in. in circumference when measured lightly over the 

 feathers ; a dusky band across the breast ; belly white, with 

 dark streaks ; vent feathers dusky ; under tail-coverts mottled, 

 greyish, white, and black. Back, shoulders, rump, and tail 

 marked with very narrow, irregular, discontinuous, wavy lines, 

 of light-yellowish rust colour and brown, generally transverse 

 to the webs ; the tail-feathers inclining to lead colour, with 

 black ends and white tips. The greater quills are dusky 

 brown ; the three inner have each a white spot on the outer 

 web, and are barred with grey on the inner ; the lesser quills 

 run gradually from dark lead colour into the mottle of the 

 scapulars, the outer having more of the former, and the inner 

 more of the latter ; the whole are tipped with white, of a some- 

 what triangular shape. The scapulars are 18 in. long, reach- 

 ing within 3 in. of the tip of the tail, which is about 1 in. in 

 length. The wing is rounded, the fifth quill being the longest. 

 The prime wing-coverts are mottled brown at the base, black- 

 ish towards the ends, with white tips, those approaching the 

 bend of the wing have more and more black ; the second and 

 third coverts are similar, but the white spots are smaller ; the 

 bend of the wing black, with white spots ; spurious wing-fea- 

 thers dark lead colour, with white tips. Tibia white, 1 ft. in 

 length, and bare 5 in. up ; feet dirty yellow, tarsus 9 in. long ; 

 three toes, the middle 3 in. in length ; claws broad, rounded, 

 and concave ; a large fleshy heel. The down at the base of 

 the feathers is of the usual greyish white, and not of a pink 

 colour, as in the florican of India and the English bustard. I 

 know not if it is furnished with a water-bag, and I regret 

 never having looked for it. The specimen above described 

 was not of the largest size. 



I have seen these birds in most of the high and even mode- 

 rately elevated plains of Southern India, generally in pairs, 

 and sometimes in families of four or five ; but as they always 

 keep in open ground, and are excessively wary and shy, it is 

 no easy matter to get within shot of them. They walk fast, 

 taking long steps, but never hurrying themselves, far less 

 attempting to run ; always taking wing when they consider 

 themselves pursued, and rising, I think, without difficulty; 

 but on this point 1 am not quite clear. Their flight is slow 

 and steady, not unlike a heron's, the feet are drawn up under 

 them, and they never soar ; as they do not fly high, perhaps, 

 usually, at an elevation of 100 ft., they are sometimes pursued 



