I04 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



in October. In autumn the flocks are much larger than in spring, 

 and in South-eastern Europe they are said to cross the steppes 

 lying south of the Caucasus literally in millions. In its choice of 

 a haunt the Little Bustard resembles its allies, being only found 

 on wide treeless plains and steppes. It is perhaps more easy to 

 approach than the Great Bustard, often remaining skulking in the 

 cover until it is flushed within easy gunshot. Its flight is straight- 

 forward and rapid, and the wings are moved so quickly that a 

 whirring sound is audible as the bird hurries away. In this respect 

 it is very different from the Great Bustard, its flight being not so 

 deliberate, and more like that of a Game Bird. Its movements 

 on the ground partake more of those of that order, and it runs 

 quickly, the females being the most difficult to flush. The 

 presence of the Little Bustard is often betrayed by the utterance 

 of its curious note, which resembles the syllable spurrtz or prut. 

 The food of this species is mostly of a vegetable nature, such as 

 grain, seeds, and the tender buds and shoots of herbage, but the 

 bird also devours insects, snails, frogs, and, it is said, even field 

 mice. Although so gregarious just upon its arrival at its breeding 

 grounds, the flocks soon disperse, and as soon as pairing is over 

 there appears to be not even a social tendency until after the 

 young are reared. As this species breeds in its first spring, no 

 flocks of immature non-nesting birds are ever noticed in the 

 summer haunts, as is almost always the case with the Great 

 Bustard. 



Nidification. — Although many of the actions of the Little 

 Bustard during the pairing season would seem to prove that this 

 species is polygamous, such is not the case. In the pairing season 

 numbers of birds congregate at certain spots, and the males appear 

 to go through a sort of " lek," like many Game Birds, showing off 

 their charms in various ways to the admiring females, for which 

 conflicts take place between the rivals. Once paired, however, 

 these gatherings disperse, and each male goes off with his mate 

 to assist in the cares of bringing up the brood. About the middle 

 of May the female makes a rude nest on the ground amongst the 

 herbage ; it is little more than a hollow, lined with a few bits of 

 dry grass and weed, and measures seven or eight inches across. 

 The eggs are usually four, sometimes three, and, more rarely, five 



