Family OTIDID^. Genus Otis. 



MACQUEEN'S BUSTARD. 



OTIS MACQUEENI— G^wy. 



Geographical Distribution. — British: A single example 

 of this Eastern Bustard has been obtained in our islands. The 

 fact of its visit being made in autumn, and that the northern 

 range of this species in Asia is sufficient to bring the bird within 

 the influence of the western stream of migration, which sets in at 

 that time into Europe (where it has from time to time been 

 captured, in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, the Baltic 

 Provinces, Finland, and Italy), is strong presumptive evidence of 

 its legitimate occurrence in a wild state in this country. The 

 example in question was shot at Kirton-in-Lindsey, in Lincolnshire, 

 on the 7th of October, 1847. It is now preserved in the 

 museum of the Philosophical Society at York. Foreign : South- 

 west Asia. Breeds in Turkestan, South-west Siberia, east to Lake 

 Saisan, southwards into Afghanistan, Persia, and the eastern 

 shores of the Caspian Sea. Winters in South Persia, Beloochistan, 

 the Punjaub, and Scinde. Has occurred accidentally in Germany, 

 Holland, Schleswig, Sweden (Oeland), Poland, Silesia, Finland, 

 Livonia, and Italy. 



Allied Forms. — 0/is houbara, an inhabitant of Armenia, 

 Palestine, and North Africa. Differs from Macqueen's Bustard 

 in having the crest feathers and the elongated feathers of the 

 throat pure white, the long feathers on the lower throat gray 

 instead of white, the upper parts more rufouSj and the vermicu- 

 lations coarser. 



Time during which Macqueen's Bustard may be taken. 



— August ist to March ist ; otherwise by authority of owner or 

 occupier of land. 



