444 



GREAT BUSTARD. 



reous : the quills are black, slightly tipped with 

 white : the under parts are white : the tail white, 

 consisting of twenty feathers ; the middle ones are 

 rust-colour, barred with black ; the two outer 

 ones reddish at the base, and for two-thirds of their 

 length : they have two bands of black towards 

 their tip: legs dusky: beak bluish: irides light 

 hazel. 



The female is destitute of the tuft on each side 

 of the mandible, and is not above half the size of 

 the male : her crown is of a deep orange, crossed 

 with transverse black lines ; the rest of the head 

 4)rown : the lower part of the neck in front ash- 

 coloured, in other respects similar to the mal6, 

 except being less brilliant in colour on the back 

 and wings. 



The male of this fine species possesses a curious 

 bag or pouch, situated in the fore-part of the 

 neck, and capable of containing about two* quarts 

 of liquid ; the entrance to it is immediately under 

 the tongue, This singular reservoir was dis- 

 covered by Dr. Douglas, who supposes that the 

 bird fills it with water to supply its thirst in the 

 midst of those extensive plains where it is ac- 

 customed to wander : a further use of it has also 

 been observed at Morocco, where they fly the 

 Hawk at the Bustard; for on the attack of the 

 Hawk it has been known that the Bustard has 



* Some writers say seven j but the weight of so great a 

 quantity of fluid placed in the neck seems to be more than the 

 bird would be able to fly with. 



