THE EASTERN LITTLE BUSTARD. 



81" 



The Eastern Little Bustard (Oti* t. orientalis). 

 Adult male, summer. 



brown with white bases and extreme tips whitish, rest mostly white 

 with a black tip and white apex which increases in inner feathers 

 and black becomes subterminal band sometimes reduced in inner- 

 most to a black mottling ; 

 secondaries pure white or with 

 a, subterminal black spot or in- 

 complete bar, inner ones buff 

 vermiculated and barred black 

 3>s scapulars ; primary - coverts 

 black with tips and bases white ; 

 greater coverts white with bases 

 thickly speckled black ; inner 

 ones with only tips pure white 

 -and rest of feathers buff and 

 white vermiculated black as 

 upper-parts ; rest of wing-coverts 

 as upper-parts but without black 

 blotches and vermiculations finer, 

 tips of median white or bufnsh- 

 white ; bastard- wing and coverts 

 along edge of wing white with 

 some black marks. Downy 

 bases of all feathers pink or 

 pinkish -brown. This plumage 



is acquired by complete moult Aug .-Nov. Summer. — A moult 

 confined to body-plumage takes place March to May (sometimes 

 beginning Jan.). Chin, under eyes, ear-coverts extending down 

 centre of upper-throat and on to sides of upper-neck, and some 

 feathers of lower-nape slate-blue, lower feathers on throat more or 

 less tipped black, followed by two alternate gorgets of white and 

 black, upper white one sometimes meeting at back of neck, upper 

 black, broad and forming a complete collar, feathers of which on sides 

 and back of neck are narrow and elongated, lower white and black 

 bands extending to sides of lower-neck ; rest of plumage as winter. 



Adult female. Winter and summer. — Much like adult winter 

 male but upper-parts more heavily blotched and barred with black 

 and upper-mantle usually somewhat spangled with small buff 

 marks of diamond or leaf shape ; breast, sides and flanks tinged 

 buff and boldly barred black-brown ; tail-feathers usually with 

 wider black bars and coarser vermiculations ; primaries (in colour) 

 as male but secondaries, and greater coverts and coverts along edge 

 of wing considerably barred with black. Moults like male. 



Nestling. — Much like that of Great Bustard but buff colour rather 

 paler and blackish markings of upper-parts rather more restricted. 



Juvenile. Male and female. — Much like adult female but outer 

 primaries speckled buff at tips and outer webs more or less mottled, 

 inner primaries with tips tinged buff and barred or vermiculated 

 brown-black ; secondaries more barred and spotted black than in 

 adult ; primary-coverts barred or mottled buff at tips ; greater 



VOL. II. 3 G 



