THE GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD. 13 



have seen them driven overhead with success. The largest bag 

 I ever knew of was made near Malegaon, in the Nasik district, 

 when an officer came on a flock feeding in a field of Jowari, 

 which was above their heads. He walked them up and shot 

 eight of them as they rose, like so many Partridges." 



From Sind, Mr. S. Doig writes : — 



" The only district where I know personally of the occurrence 

 of this bird is the Thar and Parkar, where it is tolerably plenti- 

 ful. It is a permanent resident, and breeds in the " Thar " or 

 desert portion. 



" It wanders occasionally in the cold weather to the plains 

 along the edge of the desert, sometimes going even as far as the 

 Indus. 



a Its home, however, with us is the desert, among the sand hills. 

 When its food there gets scarce in the cold weather, especially 

 in a year when no rain has fallen, it visits the 'Jamba' 

 (oil-seed) fields, on the plains, coming down to them to feed in 

 the evenings, and returning to the sand hills in the morning. 

 When disturbed, it utters a peculiar sharp trumpeting note, 

 something between a hoot and a whistle. 



" Besides stalking them (of which I need only say that, as the 

 birds generally choose some open plain in the sand hills, or out 

 in the flat, it is rarely possible to work within gun-shot of them), 

 I have bagged them both by lying in wait for them and having 

 them driven. Of each method I may give an instance. 



" I happened one day to discover a ' Jamba ' field in the mid- 

 dle of an open plain, which was frequented by some Bustard. I 

 noticed that they always came there about three in the afternoon. 

 So one day I started off about two o'clock with a rug and a 

 book, and concealed myself in the field on the side by which 

 they usually approached. 



" In the course of time, I observed the birds stalking down 

 the side of the sand hills, some half mile away. They ap- 

 proached with extreme caution, trumpeting every now and then 

 to one another. When they were within a couple of hundred 

 yards, I stopped watching them, and laid myself flat on the 

 ground, holding the gun ready cocked in front. Soon they got to 

 the ' Jamba] and I conclude began to feed, as I heard no more 

 noise, until suddenly I heard the sharp note of one close to me, 

 evidently having discovered me, so I jumped up and fortunately 

 secured a right and left. I cannot call this sport, but it was 

 interesting to watch the actions of the bird, and as one does not 

 always succeed, it is more or less exciting. 



" One morning, while on the march, I spotted thirty-four 

 Bustard in one ' Jamba ' field, near the foot of the sand hills. 

 I looked round, fixed on the place in which to conceal myself 

 hurriedly explained to the camel driver what to do, and, 

 as the camel passed my proposed hiding place, I dropped 

 off (without stopping the camel), and threw myself flat among 



