J 18 OTIS. 



month of August a substitute to the adult, while they 

 frequent the fallow lands. The manner of obtaining its 

 food is by means of its strong beak, with which the Bus- 

 tard pulls the plants out of the ground, and among others 

 carrots and beet-root, for it makes hardly any use of its 

 feet in scratching the ground or turning it up. 



About the month of February the flocks of the Great 

 Bustards divide, and the birds begin to pair, and contests 

 take place among the male birds : it is also about this 

 time that the birds are more easily approached, or rather 

 that they put themselves frequently in danger by flying in 

 pursuit of one another in all directions, unheeding the vici- 

 nity of trees or buildings. According to the season, the 

 birds are paired either in March or April. While the female 

 deposits her eggs or sits on them, the male is only seen 

 alone ; but as soon as the young birds are a few weeks 

 old, the male and female take charge of them together. 

 The Great Bustard pairs at least for the season, if not for 

 life. The female deposits only two eggs, and frequently 

 only one young one comes to perfection. Owing to the 

 very tender legs of the young birds when newly hatched, 

 it is some weeks before they can run about much, so as 

 in any way to keep pace with their parents. The tender 

 affection of the mother towards her offspring, at that time, is 

 very remarkable ; and, when approached, the parent acts pre- 

 cisely in the same manner as the partridge does, by shuffl- 

 ing along the ground until she considers the intruder far 

 enough off, and then flies away : the young in the mean- 

 time hide themselves from view as much as possible by 

 squatting close to the ground. 



The size of the Great Bustard is a protection against the 

 attacks of most of the falcons. The eagles can obtain the 

 mastery of it, as a matter of course ; and the osprey, the 

 jer falcon, and, in some instances, the peregrine falcon, 



