352 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 



I have kept several Little Bustards at various 

 times in the aviaries at Lilford. They become very 

 tame, and are very peaceable with other birds, but 

 cannot support any continuance of exposure to wet 

 or severe cold. The flesh of this species is generally 

 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. On inquiring the 

 name of two birds of this species in the Biarritz 

 market, I was told that they were Poules d'Afrique, 

 but the generally recognized name in France is 

 Canepetiere, and amongst the French of Algeria and 

 Tunis, Poule de Carthage. In the Danubian Provinces 

 many Little Bustards are killed by driving round 

 them in a light cart, gradually diminishing the circle, 

 by which means the vehicle always appears to be 

 going away from the birds. We have found this 

 system answer well, not only on wheels, but also on 

 horseback and on foot, with many naturally wary 

 birds. Two other species of Bustard are recorded as 

 having occurred in Europe, and one of them, Mac- 

 queen's Bustard, Otis macqueeni, twice in this 

 country. This bird appears to be resident in the 

 deserts of Western Asia, and visits the plains of Sind 

 and the Punjab in the cold weather. The other 

 species alluded to is the African Houbara, or Puffed 

 Bustard, Otis iindulata, which is not uncommon in 

 the great plains of Southern Algeria, Tunis, and 

 Tripoli, and has occurred in Andalucia and Malta. 

 The males of both these latter species are dis- 

 tinguished by a long ruff. 



USB or VOL. I. 



