138 OTIDES.— OTIS. 



Also the following families of Wading Birds, with hind toe raised : — 



(i.) AEAMiDiB. The family of Limpkins, or Courlans, intermediate between Rails and 

 Cranes. Eectrioes twelve. Sternum as in Cranes, with no posterior notches. Bill longer than 

 head, curved, and Bail-like. Nostrils in deep groove. Secondaries as long as primaries. First 

 primary sickle-shaped, and spatulate at tip. Four bare tracts on body, extending up neck. 

 Ten to twelve eggs, large as a Turkey's, white, blotched purple, having a powdered appearance. 

 One genus, Ara/mus, with two species — A scohpaceus, 22", mid toe and claw 3-8", from S. 

 America ; and A. piclus, 27", mid toe and claw 4-2", from Florida to Panama. 



(ii.) EuRYPTGiD^. Sun Bitterns. Eectrices twelve. Primaries ten. Sternum with 

 posterior notches on each side. Bare tracts on body, not extending beyond base of neck. Bill 

 Rail-like, longer than head. Nostrils horizontal. Inner secondaries nearly reaching tips of 

 primaries. Young fed by parents for some weeks. One genus, Eurypyga, with two species — 

 E. helias, 18", mid toe and claw 175", the Sun-Bittern of S. America; and E. major, 17", mid 

 toe and claw 1-9", from C. America to Ecuador. 



(iii. ) EHiNOCHETlDai. Eagus. Eectrices twelve. Primaries ten. Sternum with no posterior 

 notch. After-shaft. One pair of powder-down patches on side of rump. Four bare body 

 tracts, extending up neck. Bill as long as head. Nostril basal, in broad depression, entirely 

 hidden. No lateral groove in mandible. Inner secondaries longer than primaries. One genus, 

 Ehinoohetus, one species — B. juiata, the Kagu, with large drooping crest, 22", mid toe and 

 claw 2-3", from New Caledonia. 



(iv.) PsoPHllDa;. Trumpeters. Eectrices ten. Sternum with no notch 6n posterior margin. 

 No after-shaft. Long tract on the neck bare. Plumage soft. Under tail-coverts long and lax. 

 Bill shorter than head. Nostrils ovate and pervious with posterior membrane. Nest on the 

 ground. Two eggs, light ash colour. One genus, Psophia, five species, confined to S. America — 

 P. crepitans, 21", mid toe and claw 2-8", the Gold-breasted Trumpeter ; P. napensis, 19", mid 

 toe and claw 2-5"; P. ieueoptera, 20", mid toe and claw 2-8"; P. ochroptera, 19", mid toe and 

 claw 2-8" ; P. mridis, 17", mid toe and claw 2-5". (B. M. Cat., xxiii. 236-281.) 



Suborder OTIDES. 



Two small notches on each side of posterior margin of breast-bone. No oil- 

 gland. No hind toe. Young hatched covered with down, and run almost at 

 once. 



Family OTIDID^. BusTAKDS and rLOEiKiNS. 



Bill flattened and obtuse. Three short toes, with connecting membrane. 

 Plumage mottled and game-like. Eectrices sixteen to twenty. Primaries eleven. 

 Secondaries nearly as long as primaries. Fifth secondary wanting. After-shaft. 

 A gular pouch in some species. No lateral bare tract on side of neck. Tarsi 

 covered with reticulate scales. No hind toe. Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. 



Genus OTIS. 



ijiTls=a, kind of Bustard with long ear-feathers, known to the Greeks; from o8s, genit. (iris, 

 an ear. 



Short and stout limbs and bill. Long white moustachial tuft. Third quill 



longest. No crest or ruff. Palsearctic. 



115. Otis tarda. The Great or European Bustard. 



Tarda, the Spanish name, according to Pliny [Hist. Nat., x. p. 29). A Celtic or Basque 

 word. Tarda and Bistarda are always used as substantives, like the French Outarde (from 

 avis tarda, through the Proveufal Austarde, as avis struthio became AutrucAe in French and 

 Ostrich in English) and our Bus-tard. 



$ 45"; 20 to 30 lbs. 2 33"; 8 J lbs. Legs blackish. BiU brown.— iHfafe .• 



Head and upper neck light grey. Chin, with long narrow feathers on each side 



of throat, white. Breast pale orange. Back orange, barred black. Below pure 



