Order  VI.  STRUTHIONES. 
Family  I.  Struthionidje. 
The  fourth  Subfamily, 
OTIDINiE,  or  Bustards, 
have  the  Bill  more  or  less  lengthened  and  compressed  on  the  sides,  with  the  culmen  straight  above  the 
nasal  groove,  and  then  vaulted  to  the  tip,  which  is  strongly  emarginated  ;  the  nostrils  basal,  lateral,  and 
placed  in  a  large  membranous  groove,  with  the  opening  large  and  suboval ;  the  Wings  moderate,  and 
rather  pointed ;  the  Tail  moderate,  broad,  and  rounded ;  the  Tarsi  long,  and  covered  with  small  scales ; 
the  Toes  short,  and  covered  with  small  narrow  scales  above  ;  the  Claws  short,  broad,  and  blunt. 
Otis  Linn.* 
Bill  short,  broad  at  the  base,  and  compressed  on  the  sides,  with  the  culmen  elevated  and  straight  at 
the  base,  and  then  gradually  curved  to  the  tip,  which  is  strongly  emarginated  ;  the  gonys  short  and 
straight ;  the  nostrils  placed  in  a  large  nasal  groove,  partly  closed  by  a  membrane,  with  the  opening- 
large  and  suboval.  Wings  long,  with  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  quills  usually  equal  and  longest, 
and  the  tertials  as  long  as  the  quills.  Tail  moderate,  broad,  and  rounded.  Tarsi  much  longer  than  the 
middle  toe,  and  covered  with  small  scales.  Toes  short,  broad,  with  the  inner  toe  shorter  than  the  outer, 
and  all  the  fore  ones  covered  above  with  narrow  transverse  scales ;  the  claws  short,  very  broad,  and 
blunt. 
The  species  of  this  genus  are  found  on  the  dry  sandy  or  grassy  plains,  and  the  open  cultivated  lands,  of  Europe 
and  Asia.  They  are  shy  and  wary ;  when  alarmed,  they  usually  escape  by  flight,  which  is  strong,  swift,  and  generally 
at  no  great  distance  from  the  surface  of  the  ground,  sometimes  alighting  after  a  short  interval,  and  running  off  with 
considerable  speed  until  they  ai*e  at  a  sufficient  distance  to  elude  pursuit.  The  female  and  young  generally  conceal 
themselves  by  squatting  close  among  the  tufts  of  grass  or  brushwood.  They  feed  on  grain  and  seeds,  and  are  very 
destructive  to  the  young  wheat  and  the  tops  of  turnips  ;  the  latter  they  principally  attack  during  the  winter.  Insects 
and  worms  also  form  a  portion  of  their  subsistence ;  and  sometimes  they  swallow  small  quadrupeds.  The  females  lay 
from  two  to  five  eggs  on  the  bare  ground  under  cover  of  herbage,  or  among  the  wheat  or  clover.  The  young,  as 
soon  as  excluded,  follow  their  parent,  but  are  incapable  of  flight  for  a  long  time. 
1 .  O.  tarda.  Linn.  PI.  enl.  245.,  Gould,  B.  of  Eur.  pi.  2(>7- 
2.  O.  tetrax  Linn.  PI.  enl.  10.  25.,  Gould,  B.  of  Eur.  pi.  26'9. 
Type  of  Tetrax  Leach  (1816). 
*  Linnieus  established  this  genus  in  1735  (Systema  Natures).    It  embraces  Tetrax  of  Leach  (1816). 
