HOUBAEA. 219 



lower half of the rufT entirely white, the upper half edged behind 

 aud in front with black, rather lax feathers ; back and scapulars buif or 

 rufous buff, delicately pencilled with dark brown, each feather with two 

 dark bands, the hinder band only being visible externally ; upper tail- 

 coverts with 3 — 4 n-irrow dark bands, which are distant from each other 

 about an inch; tail brighter rufous or buff, with the same pencil- 

 lings, the feathers with three bluish ashy bands, and the tips white ; 

 under tail-coverts white, some of the feathers with transverse bands 

 and brownish raottlings; chin, throat and cheeks white, the feathers of 

 the latter with dark tips; feathers of the lower neck and breast 

 grizzled with pencillings, the elongated feathers on the breast pale 

 bluish white, with dark shafts; rest of the lower surface white, also 

 the axillaries and wing lining ; primaries white at their base, and 

 black for the terminal half, except the 1st primary, which in some 

 specimens are dark brown on the outer web ; lesser wing-coverts 

 whitish with very fine vermiculations; winglet black; bill horny brown ; 

 irides bright yellow ; legs greenish yellow. 



Length. — 25 — 32 inches, wing 14 — "15> tail 8"5. to 10. In non-breed- 

 ing plumsage the male has no crest nor the elongated black and white 

 feathers, but the dark lax feathers are well developed in their place. 



Rah. — Sind, Persia, Beloochistan and Afghanistan, Punjab, N. W. 

 and Central Provinces, Rajputana, Kutch and Guzerat, also Kattiawa.r. 



In Sind, this fine bird is extremely common during winter, affectiiig 

 chiefly the large pJain-s and hill sides covered with grewia bushes, on the 

 fruits af which they principally live. It is usually found in parties of 2, 

 4, or 6 and, as game, is much sought for by all sportsmen. It is also 

 largely hawked by the Sindees, Faico sacer, Juggiir and Pere- 

 grinns being used for the purpose. It is found all over the plains of 

 the Punjab, also in Beloochistan, Southern Persia and Afghanistan ; 

 breeding in Persia and Afghanistan, where it occurs in the summer. 

 In Rajputana too it has been found, also in Kutch, Northern Guzerat 

 and Kattiawar. The following, extracted from the " Field" entitled 

 " Oobara shooting in Lower Sind" I think by "an old Sindee,'' gives 

 a fair account of the- mode of shooting this Bustard ; he says — " So far 

 as my experience goes, the Oobara, which may be briefly described as 

 a bird of the Bustard tribe, is chiefly to be found in Sind. I have 

 occasionally come across a solitary one or two in Rajputana and 

 Guzerat, and I also presume they are to be met with in many parts of 

 the Punjab, and, in fact, perhaps anywhere where large sandy plains 

 exist. They are,. I believe, seldom, if ever,, to be found in black 

 soil. 



" The Oobara is a migratory bird, coming in with the cold weather, 

 and disappearing at the first approach of the hot season. They are 

 usually to be found in pairs, and feed early in the mornings and late 

 in the evenings. At these times they are so wary, as seldom to be got 

 at, even by careful stalking. They appear, however, to be peculiarly 

 susceptible to heat, as the moment the sun attains any power they 

 retire into the shade of a bush and, if undisturbed, lie quiet throughout 

 the heat of the day, or if flushed, only take short flights. This is the 



