io8 THE BOOK OF BIRDS 



lovely white feathers that underlie the brown mottled 

 ones. 



Says one who has watched him, "the brown plumage 

 seems to vanish, and only the white under-feathers are 

 visible. The tail is laid forward over the bird's back, the 

 wings are crossed, the head is drawn in, the breast is 

 puffed out, and the feet beat the ground." 



Those of my readers who have no chance of observing 

 this extraordinary performance in the living bird, can see 

 at the Natural History Museum, at South Kensington, an 

 exceedingly clever representation of it ; so skilfully has the 

 stuffed specimen been set up and its plumes arranged. 



One other curious thing about a Bustard in courting 

 time is the neck-pouch which he has the power of filling 

 with air. This, too, helps to make him feel important, 

 when he is puffing himself out and ruffling up his plumage. 



Among the homes of the Bustard in Europe are 

 Germany and Spain. In many parts of Germany he is 

 treated as a game-bird, and protected as carefully as the 

 partridge in England. It is unlawful to Shoot one between 

 the first of April and the first of October. But in Spain 

 he gets no such protection ; he has to look after his own 

 safety. 



"These Spanish plains," says Mr. R. B. Lodge, "in 

 spring-time, before the fierce sun has scorched and burned 

 everything up, are ablaze with brightly-coloured flowers. 

 Sometimes we waded knee-deep through acres of pink 

 mallows, at other times thousands of blue irises made the 

 prevailing colour blue, or patches of silver-grey thistles 

 gave a peculiar grey bloom to the landscape." A beautiful 

 home for any wild bird, you will think ; though no doubt 

 the Bustard would say. Give me food and liberty, and I 

 shall be content. 



