OTIDID^. 607 



good deal in search of food and shelter. Their wings are strong and 

 very ample, and, contrary to received notions, they use them very 

 freely, and are capable of a tolerably strong and protracted flight. 

 They are found throughout the Old World, extending to Australia. 



The sternum has one deep fissure in some, two however in others ; 

 the stomach is capacious, with rather thin coats ; the intestines are 

 short ; and the rectum large, making the nearest approach to the 

 Ostriches. In some there is a gular membranous pouch (communi- 

 cating with the mouth by a small aperture beneath the tongue), 

 supposed by some to supply water to the female, but, as it only 

 exists in the male bird, and as the Bustards do not appear to 

 drink, it is more probably a sexual appendage, perhaps merely used 

 in dilating the throat. Bustards can raise the feathers round the 

 ears to catch any distant sound. 



They vary a good deal in the length and curvature of their 

 beaks, and in the length of the tarsus, as well as in the character 

 of the plumage, and the changes they undergo ; and they have been 

 divided into several genera. India possesses representatives of 

 three groups. 



Gen. Eupodotis, Lesson. 



Char. — Bill long, pointed, nearly straight ; legs long and strong ; 

 wings lengthened and very ample ; male provided with a pouch ; 

 sexes alike in plumage or nearly so, but the female about a third 

 smaller ; no spring moult. Of very large size. 



This genus contains some of the largest species in the family, and 

 is found in India, China, Africa and Australia. They frequent 

 bare open plains, as well as high grass and corn fields, and live 

 entirely, or nearly so, on insect food, chiefly large grasshoppers. 



836. Eupodotis Edwardsii, Gray. 



Otis apud Gray — Hardwicke, 111. Ind. Zool. 1, pi. 59— 

 Blyth, Cat. 1539 — 0. nigriceps, Vigors — Gould, Cent. Him. 

 Birds, pi. 72 — Sykes, Cat. 166 — Jerdon, Cat. 281 — 0. lucionensis, 

 Vieillot ? Tokdar, H. — Sohun, and Gugunbher in the North- 

 western Provinces — Gurayin in Humana — Burra cliirath in some 

 parts — Batt-meka, or Bat~myaka, Tel. 



