THE GREAT BUSTARD. 815 



sloping. Nasal groove wide and large, nostrils large and oblong. 

 About one-third of tibia bare ; tarsus rather stout ; only three 

 toes, strong, flattened beneath, claws flattened, convex, blunt and 

 nail-like. On each side of upper -neck posterior to moustachial 

 region a long bare patch, longest in adult male and not present in 

 juvenile ; becoming prominent in adult male when long sac under 

 skin down centre of throat is dilated during "display/' 



Soft parts. — Bill yellowish -brown, tip dark horn ; legs and 

 feet brown ; iris hazel. 



Characters and allied forms.— 0. t. dybowskii (Transbaikal 

 eastwards) adult male has paler head and neck, grey median wing- 

 coverts and lesser mostly dark grey ; 0. t. korejewi (Turkestan) 

 is stated to have narrower black bars on upper-parts. Large size 

 and grey head and neck (without black) distinguish the species 

 from other British Bustards. 



Field -characters. — A bird of open plains and rolling cornlands, 

 where its great size at once attracts attention, though few birds are 

 more adept at taking cover when alarmed. On the wing great bulk 

 of body as compared with wings, outstretched neck and feet are 

 not to be confused with more graceful contours of all our other birds 

 of similar size. At rest sandy colouring of upper surface is character- 

 istic and when in display males show much white. At great dis- 

 tances on open plain a flock presents much the appearance of sheep. 

 Where ground shows footprints, the heavy unwebbed toes leave 

 characteristic tracks. (F. C.R.J.) 



Breeding-habits. — Haunts open plains, cornfields, etc. Nest. — 

 Mere scrape in corn or fallow field, trampled by bird and generally 

 with feathers lying about. Eggs. — Normally 2-3, occasionally 4, 

 but in some districts 2 are almost invariably found, olive-green 

 with blotches of brown, but blue varieties have been recorded. 

 Average of 100 eggs, 79.4x56.76. Max.: 89.5x56.4 and 82.7x60.7. 

 Min. : 69x56 and 71.6x51.5 mm. Breeding -season. — From end 

 April and early May onward in Spain, but usually in latter half of 

 May in northern part of range. Incubation. — By female only. 

 Period 25-28 days in confinement. Single brooded. 



Food. — Mainly vegetable matter : grass, turnip-tops, various kinds 

 of grain and leaves of plants : also insects : orthoptera (grasshoppers, 

 crickets, mole -crickets, and earwigs), coleoptera (Dytiscus, Haltica, 

 Silpha, Otiorhynchus , Melolcntha, Geotrupes, Calosoma, Elater, etc.),. 

 hemiptera, diptera, etc. Occasionally worms, slugs, lizards, frogs, 

 and field-mice. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Very rare vagrant. Formerly bred 

 many parts England and at one time in south-east Scotland. Last 

 survivor Yorks., 1832 or 1833, last bred Norfolk and Suffolk about 

 1838, dying out a few years later. In winters 1870-71, 1879-80, 

 and 1890-91 considerable number occurred. Attempted re-intro- 

 duction in Norfolk (1900) may account for several shot Dec, 1902,. 



