442 



OTIS. BUSTARD. 



Generic Character. 



Rostrum comcunij rectum, 

 compress Liiii ; mandibula 

 superiore ad apicem forni- 

 cata. 



A^ftr^^ ovales, apertae. 

 Pedes cursorii; digiti basi 

 membrana connexi. 



Alo2 mediocres ; remiges 

 prima, et quinta aequales et 

 breviores quam quarta, 



Otis. Auctorum, 



Beak conic, straight, com- 

 pressed ; the upper man- 

 dible arched towards the 

 tip. 



Nostrils oval, open. 



Legs formed for running; 

 the toes connected by a 

 membrane at the base. 



Wings medial ; the first and 

 fifth quills equal, and 

 shorter than the fourths 



Bustards are heavy birds ; they fly but little ^ 

 are very wild and shy, and when pursued are slow 

 in taking flight, but run with great velocity, in 

 which they are assisted by their wings : they 

 reside in corn-fields, or on bushy plains : their food 

 consists of herbs, grains, seeds, and insects : they 

 are polygamous, one male being attended by 

 several females. They are all natives of the Old 

 Continent, and the four last species are distin- 

 guished by the beak being more slender than ia 

 the first mentioned. 



