NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXIII. 1916. 337 



NOTES ON THE LITTLE BUSTAED. 



By ERNST HARTEM. 

 (Plate II.) 



THERE is hardly a more interesting small family of birds than that of the 

 Bustards, and the delicate markings of their plumage make them exceedingly 

 beautiful. Specially interesting among the palaearctic species is the Little Bastard, 

 Otis tetrax, for several reasons. 



A.— STRUCTURE OF WING 



The wing of the female shows nothing out of the common. The first primary 

 is much shorter than the second and in length between the fifth and sixth ; the 

 second and third are about equal and longest. The second, third, fourth, fifth 

 and sixth primaries have the outer webs wider at the base, the narrowing beginning 

 suddenly in front of the primary coverts (see second and third primaries in the 

 wing of the male on plate) ; but on the fifth and sixth it is not so sudden and a 

 little more towards the tip. 



The wing of the adult male is quite different. The first three primaries are 

 like those of the female, but the fourth is quite singular ; it is about 2£ cm. 

 shorter than the third and about 2 cm. shorter than the fourth ; the outer web 

 is, about the middle, so much narrowed out that it is in one place only 1-2 mm. 

 wide, but it soon widens again ; the inner web is narrowed on its basal half and 

 becomes suddenly wider about its middle, while for about 18 mm. from the tip 

 it is narrowed out again (see plate). Therefore, when the wing is spread out in 

 flight, a small gap would most likely appear on the basal part of the fourth primary, 

 and this would cause the piping note which, according to observers, is heard with 

 every beat of the wings during flight. Whatever may be the object of this curiously 

 shaped fourth primary, it is interesting to know it, and I have not found any 

 mention of it in any book, not even in Naumann. 



B.— MOULTS 



In its annual moults the Little Bustard differs from the other palaearctic 

 species, though agreeing with the Indian Sypheotis aurita, the so-called Florican. 

 There is a useful material of Little Bustards in the Tring and British Museums, 

 and Mr. W. H. St. Quintin, who has kept these and other Bustards in his aviaries 

 for many years, has made careful observations, and in most explicit letters to me 

 kindly confirmed and supplemented the conclusions I arrived at from the study 

 of skins. The Houbara Bustards do not show any material seasonal changes, 

 apparently having their extraordinary neck-frill all the year round. The Great 

 Bustard loses its moustache, the hairy feathers of the pouch, and the chestnut 

 feathers on the chest after the breeding season ; there are then only blue-grey 

 feathers on these parts, but in the early winter the nuptial dress begins to be 

 gradually assumed, and the moustache, chestnut chest-band, etc., are complete 



