444 
GREAT BUSTARD. 
reous : the quills are black, slightly tipped with 
white : the under parts are white : the tail white, 
consisting of twenty feathers ; the middle ones are 
rust-colour, barred with black ; the two outer 
ones reddish at the base, and for two-thirds of their 
length : they have two bands of black towards 
their tip : legs dusky : beak bluish : irides light 
hazel. 
The female is destitute of the tuft on each side 
of the mandible, and is not above half the size of 
the male : her crown is of a deep orange, crossed 
with transverse black lines ; the rest of the head 
brown ; the lower part of the neck in front ash- 
coloured, in other respects similar to the male, 
except being less brilliant in colour on the back 
and wings. 
The male of this fine species possesses a curious 
bag or pouch, situated in the fore-part of the 
neck, and capable of containing about two* quarts 
of liquid ; the entrance to it is immediately under 
the tongue. This singular reservoir was dis- 
covered by Dr. Douglas, wdio supposes that the 
bird fills it with water to supply its thirst in the 
midst of those extensive plains where it is ac- 
customed to wander : a further use of it has also 
been observed at Morocco, where they fly the 
Hawk at the Bustard ; for on the attack of the 
Hawk it has been known that the Bustard has 
* Some writers say seven ; but the weight of so great a 
quantity of fluid placed in the neek seems to be more than the 
bird would be able to fly with. 
