Genus CURSORIUS, Lath. 



Gen. Char. Beak shorter than the head, depressed at its base, slightly convex at its points, 

 and somewhat curved and pointed. Nostrils oval, surmounted by a small protuberance. 

 Tarsi long and slender. Toes three before only, entirely divided, the inner toe scarcely 

 equalling half the length of the middle toe. Wings long ; the first and second quill-feathers 

 nearly the same length, and the greater coverts as long as the quill-feathers. 



CREAM-COLOURED COURSER. 



Cursorius Isabellinus, Meyer. 

 Le Court vite Isabelle. 



The most superficial view of the structure and proportions of this singular and elegant bird, would at once 

 enable us to perceive that it is a fleet and rapid courser, peculiarly fitted for dry and sterile situations, such 

 as sandy deserts, plains, and open tracts of country. 



Although in many respects it approaches the Bustards, yet it lias with great propriety been separated from 

 that group into a distinct and well-defined genus, which now includes five or six species, closely united to each 

 other in form and general habits, and, as well as the genus Otis, strictly confined to the older known portions 

 of the globe. Africa supplies some peculiar species, continental India one or two others ; and we have seen 

 one from the islands of the Indian Archipelago differing from every other. 



The present species, the Cursorius Isabellinus, although frequently visiting Southern Europe, and occasionally 

 our own island, is, strictly speaking, a native of Northern Africa and Abyssinia, where, from the remarkable 

 similarity of the colour of its plumage, it finds security among the sandy deserts and plains, from which it can 

 hardly be distinguished, and where it speeds along with the swiftness of an arrow, in pursuit of its food, which 

 consists principally of the insects peculiar to such situations. Of its nidification no authentic information has 

 reached us ; but most probably, like the Bustard, it incubates among loose stones and the scanty herbage of 

 the desert. 



We have had the good fortune to obtain examples of the young, in addition to the adults, of both sexes, 

 which latter do not offer any material difference of plumage. The young, although nearly arrived at its full 

 size, may be distinguished by the absence of the black occipital patch, as well as the bands of black and white 

 which pass from behind the eye, and by its plumage being obscurely waved with dusky, transverse and 

 somewhat arrow-shaped markings. 



The general plumage of the adult is of a delicate fawn colour above, lighter beneath, the occipital and quill- 

 feathers being black ; from above the eye to the back of the neck extends a white line, circumscribing the 

 black portion of the occiput, beneath which, from the angle of the eye, runs a similar, but still narrower band 

 of black ; tail, with the exception of the two middle feathers, banded near its extremity with black, and tipped 

 with dull white ; beak black ; legs light cream colour. 



The Plate represents an adult male, and a young bird of the first autumn, both of the natural size. 



