INDIAN BUSTARD. 119 



Bill dusky above, yellowish beneath ; iridcs pale yellow with 

 some brownish specks ; legs and feet dingy pale yellow. Length 

 4 J to 5 feet; extent 8 feet; wing 30 inches; tail 13; bill at 

 front 2 ; tarsus 8 J. TV eight 2G to 28 lbs. 



The female is one-third less at least, the white of the neck is less 

 pure, generally, indeed, mottled with olive-brown, and with some 

 rufous about the face and eyes ; the pectoral band is incomplete, 

 and consists of broken spots ; the abdomen is less pure wdiite 

 and the flanks paler brown and more spotted. Length 3J- 

 feet. Young males resemble the females, and it is only the 

 largest old males that have the neck pure white, as described 

 above ; in most there being a few brown specks on the neck. 

 In the old male, too, the neck appears very thick, the feathers 

 being well puffed out and full. A fully grown adult male stands 

 very high, above 4 feet. The gular sac is stated to be able to 

 hold about three quarts of water. 



This noble bird is found throughout considerable part of India, 

 most common in the West, and not known in Bengal or Behar, nor 

 in the Malabar Coast. It is found occasionally in the Carnatic and 

 Mysore, tolerably common in the Deccan and in the Southern 

 Mahratta country, extending through Central India as far East at 

 all events as Saugor and Kewah, and abundant in Rajpootana. I have 

 not heard of its occurring anywhere in the valley of the Ganges. 



The Bustard frequents bare open plains, grassy plains interspersed 

 with low bushes, and occasionally high grass rumnahs. In the rainy 

 season large numbers may be seen together stalking over the undu- 

 lating plains of the Deccan or Central India. I have seen flocks of 

 twenty-five and more, and a writer in the Sporting Review mentions 

 having seen above thirty on one small hill. This writer states his 

 belief that they are never seen in any district that is not charac- 

 terized by hills as well as plains ; but this, from my own experience 

 I would merely interpret that they do not frequent alluvial plains, 

 but prefer the undulating country ; for I have seen them on 

 extensive plains, where there were merely a few ridges or emi- 

 nences, and nothing deserving the name of a hill close at hand. 

 Towards the close of the rains, and in the cold weather before 

 the long grass is cut down, the Bustard will often be found, at all 



