THE GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD. 1 5 



like those of this latter species, the eggs very commonly 

 exhibit pimples and rugosities at the large end, so much so 

 that, out of sixty eggs now before me, only seven are perfectly 

 free from such imperfections. Some of the eggs are dull and 

 with little gloss, the whole surface being closely pitted with 

 small pores similar to, but fewer than, those in the Peafowl's 

 egg, while other specimens are brilliantly glossy. The ground 

 colour varies much. Typically it is a sort of drab colour, but it 

 is often earthy brown, pale olive brown, pale reddish brown, 

 dingy olive green, and, although rarely, even pale leaden blue. 

 The markings vary in extent, number, and intensity ; 

 sometimes they are pretty deep reddish brown and 

 clearly-marked blotches, but more usually they are pale 

 reddish brown clouds and streaks, sometimes so faint as to 

 be mere mottlings, and sometimes, though rarely, altogether 

 wanting. Occasionally, the markings form an irregular blotchy 

 cap at the large end. 



Out of sixty eggs in my collection, no two are precisely alike. 



In length they vary from 275 to 3*42, and in breadth from 

 2*05 to 2*45, but the average of sixty eggs is 3*11 by 2*24. 



As to dimensions, I must go by my own measurements. 

 Jerdon says that males run to 60 inches in length, and 281bs in 

 weight. They may do so, just as tigers perhaps do attain a 

 length of over 12 feet, but I have never met with any such 

 giants. 



I have found adult males vary as follows : — 



Length, 45 to 50 inches ; expanse, 86 to 96 ; wings, 24*5 to 

 29; tarsi, 7*5 to 8*37 ; bill to gape, 4*0 to 475. Weight, 17 to 

 22lbs. 



Females. — Length, 36 to 38 inches ; expanse, J2 to 76 ; wings, 

 20'0 to 22 ; tarsi, 5-5 to 6*8. Weight, 8 to 10 lbs. 



The legs and feet are generally yellowish creamy, a little 

 dingy on the toes ; but I have noted specimens in which the 

 legs had more of a light fleshy tinge, and others in which the 

 pale yellow had a grey or plumbeous tinge ; the irides vary 

 from pale to bright yellow ; the bill is greyish brown to grey- 

 ish white, dusky at tip and near forehead, and often a little 

 yellowish below. 



The Plate errs in showing the legs with enormous scales 

 and of a much too pure and bright yellow, and in the bill, which 

 is altogether wrongly coloured. It altogether fails to convey an 

 adequate idea of the intricate minuteness of the vermicellations 

 of the upper parts, and the slaty hue of the white-tipped wing 

 feathers is ignored. Some birds have the upper surface a much 

 deeper brown than the specimen figured, while others again are 

 much greyer, especially on the rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail. 



