84 
BUSTARDS. 
and Plovers; they differ considerably in size, some being 
very large and others small. But two sjoecies of this gi'oup 
are knoAvn as British birds, and they, although Ibrmerly 
not uncommon, -have now become extremely rare. These 
are The Grrat and Little Bustards {Otis Tarda and Otis 
Tetrax). Although furnished with large wings, these birds 
on ordinary occasions make but little use of them, yet 
when they do rise their flight is strong and sustained. 
They run with great speed, crouch on the ground to avoid 
their enemies, feed on vegetable substances, worms, and 
insects, form a slight and rude nest among the herbage — a 
mere cavity, and lay from two to five, or more, spotted eggs. 
Once upon a time, as the nursery tale begins, bclbre 
scientific farming was thought of, and when England pos- 
sessed wide tracts of open plain, and high breezy downs, 
untunnelled and unscarred by the railway cutting, the Great 
Bustard stalked in undisturbed security, a noble bird, in 
shape something like a goose, but with much longer legs 
and neck, and altogether a less heavy anserine appearance ; 
in weight about twenty pounds, in length two feet six or 
eight inches. Something like a shot that ! Not easily 
brought down, for the bird is quick of sight and quick of 
hearing, and the open situation which it frequents enables 
it to discover an enemy afar off. 
GREAT BUSTARD. 
