52 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs, 



of the stony mountains and dense coverts of Greece, notliing can be more exliil- 

 arating than a gallop in an araba over the breezy downs of the Dobrudscha in 

 early spring. It is true that at starting you expect concussion of the brain must 

 necessarily ensue, as there are no roads, and your driver dashes over all minor 

 inequalities of the surface; but this feeling soon goes away, and you get on 

 famously until a wheel comes off. ***** *. Presently some Bustards 

 are descried on the opposite slopes, and away we gallop towards them. It may 

 so happen that they take the alarm and fly before we are within a quarter of a 

 mile. The Great Bustard almost invariably does ; but the Little Bustard, besides 

 being more plentiful, is less wary, and often takes no notice of the araba. Arrived 

 within two hundred yards, we commence ' great circle sailing,' graduallj' shortening 

 the distance though, to the flock, we seem ever going awa}' from them. The 

 pace is now a good trot, and the great thing is to pull up dead when about 

 forty yards oflF, firing the instant the birds rise, which they are pretty sure to do 

 as soon as the machine stops. We found by experience that forty yards was 

 about as close ' shaving ' as the birds would stand ; and at that distance it was 

 not always a kill, especially if the horses were not perfectly quiet. If a bird was 

 hit, but not brought down, we galloped after him at full speed, when, finding he 

 could not get awaj- from us, he would often crouch, and under these circumstances 

 it was very difficult to find him. We used to get down from the araba and 

 almost walk over them before they would get up. They are slow risers generally, 

 but when once fair!}- on the wing, go at a slashing pace. On getting up, the 

 Little Bustard makes an odd rattling noise, ^erj^ similar to that produced by a 

 bird-scarer, such as is used in gardens. In this description of sport only one 

 person can shoot at a time; but, in fact, there is as much fun to be had, and 

 more skill to be displayed, in managing the horses so as to place the araba in a 

 favourable position, than in shooting the game. Our best bag in one day was 

 seven brace, of which number eleven birds were males in splendid plumage. The 

 flesh is dark, and at this season rather strong, but in a hungry country like the 

 Dobrudscha, one is not apt to be particular." 



In remarkable contrast to this verdict on the value of the bird as food, is 

 that of Col. Irby, who writes : — "In my opinion there is no better food than the 

 Little Bustard, they are equal to Indian Florican in this respect, which is saying 

 a great deal for them"; and Lord Lilford says that "the flesh of this species is 

 generall}- much esteemed, and is indeed remarkably good. In Spain it is often 

 served up in the hotels under the name of Faisan, i.e.. Pheasant." These different 

 verdicts probably depend upon the season of the year when the flesh of the bird 

 was i:tilised. 



