BUSTARD, 
The Bustard, is in Greek called Otis ; and, 
in Latin, Avis Tarda, or the Slow bird: from 
which last, the Italian name, Starda, seems 
to be derived; and, from that, the old French 
term Bistarde, and the English Bustard. 
But though the Greeks called it Otis, and: 
Aristotle, whose description perfectly agrees 
with our Great Bustard, mentions it by this 
name in three places, the Latins, deceived pro- 
bably by the resemblance of the words, fre- 
quently confounded it with the Otus, which is 
a no6turnal bird. Pliny, after properly say- 
ing, that the bird named Otis by the Greeks, 
is called Avis Tarda in Spain, wliich charac- 
ter applies to the Great or Common Bustard ; 
subjoins, that it's flesh has a rank taste, which 
agrees with the Otus, according to Aristotle 
and to fad, but has no reference to the Great 
Bustard : and this mistake may be the more 
easily supposed, since Pliny, in the following 
chapter, evidently confounds the Otis with the 
Otus^ 
