BUS 
BUT 
tard. The bill, which is about thr^e inches arid a 
half long from the extremity to the angles of the 
mouth, is of a light horn-colour^ and a little darkifh 
at the point; the noftrils are long, and placed 
near the forehead; the eyes are of a dark colour; 
and the fore-part of the head is white. Above 
the eyes there is a black line, which terminates in 
a point towards the forehead backwards ; it gra- 
dually encreafes in breadth, and forms a fort of black 
creft, from which proceeds a fliort black line, 
reaching almoft to the hinder part of the eye. The 
fore part of the neck is cinereous, with fmall tranf- 
verfe lines of a darker colour ; and the hinder pai t, 
as well as the back, is brown, with fine tranf- 
verfe blackifh lines. The coverts of the wings 
are of the lame colour with the back ; the tips of 
the feathers, which are white, form femi-lunarfpots; 
and the ridge of the wing, in the upper part, is 
white, from which proceeds a broad white bar, 
fprinkled with fmall black fpots, feparating the co- 
vert from the quill-feathers. The baftard-wing 
is black, except that the feathers have white tips; 
the foremoft of the prime-feathers are black, and 
the middlemofi: are fpotted with black and white; 
the inner quills next the back are of the fame co- 
lour; the breafb, belly, thighs, and the entire un- 
derfide, are of a pure white; the fuperior part of 
the tail is of the fame colour with the back, but 
the exterior webs of the outmoft feathers are partly 
white; the under-fide of the tail has a black bar 
acrofs it, near the tips of the feathers ; the legs 
are pretty long; the toes, which are three in num- 
ber, are flaort, and ftand forward ; the legs are bare 
of feathers for fome fpace above the knees; both 
the legs and feet are covered with a fcaly fls:in of 
a dirty white or lightiih brown colour ; and the 
claws are of the fame. This bird is a native of 
Mocha, in Arabia Felix. 
BusTAPvD, Indian. This bird is about twenty 
inches in height, and is more flender in proportion 
than any other bird of the kind. The bill is of 
a whitifh colour, and longer than that of the Eng- 
lilli Buftard; the fides of the head are of a bright 
brovv'n; but the top of the head, and the v/hole 
peck, are covered with black loofe hanging fea- 
thers. The back, rump, and tail, are of a light 
blown; but on the latter there are tranfverfe black 
bars. All the covert-feathers of the wings are 
white, except the fmaller ones about the joint, which 
are edged with black. The greater wing-feathers 
nearcft the back are brownifli, fpotted with black; 
and the middle quills are v/hite, v/ith tranfverfe 
bars fpeckled with black. The greater quills are 
white on their exterior webs, and the tips gradually 
become of a dark brown afli-coiour. The whole 
of the under-fide, from the breaft to the tail, is j 
cloathed with black feathers. The legs are long, 
and the toes lliort; the latter are three in number; 
and the former are bare a confiderable diftance 
above the knee. The toes all point forward, as in 
other birds of this kind, and are covered v/ith 
whitifh fcales ; but the claws are dufky. 
This bird is an inhabitant of Bengal, in the 
Eaft Indies; and was firft defcribed by Edwards, 
who took it from a drawing in the poffeflion of 
Dr. Mead. 
Bustard, Little. This bird, to v/hichWil- 
lughby gives the name of the field-duck, is about 
the fize of a phealant. The bill is of a fiefli co- 
lour at the bafe, and black at the point ; the head, 
the back part of the neck, the back, and the co- 
verts of the wingSj are brown, marked with irregular 
fpots of black ; the throat is v/hite; and the fore- 
part of the neck is of a lightifh brown, with a 
dufl<:y mixture. The covert-feathers on the infide 
of the wings, and the ridges of the wings, are white; 
and the outer quills are white at their bottoms, but 
black at their points. The breaft and fides are 
white, fpotted with -black; the belly and thighs 
are wholly white ; and the tail-feathers are brown, 
fpeckled with very fmall fpots of white, and barred 
with tranfverfe black lines. It has only three toes, 
which all ftand forward ; and the legs and feet 
are covered with yellow fcales. 
The Little Buftard has fometimes been found 
in this ifland, but is by no means common : it is, 
however, very plentiful in France. Dr. Shav/, in 
his Travels to Barbary and the Levant, has given 
a figure and defcription of this fpecies, which the 
Moors call rhaad, or faf-faf-rhaad ; that name, in 
their language, denoting thunder; and fuppofed 
to have been given to this bird from the noife it 
makes in fpringing from the ground, as faf-laf 
very naturally expreffes the beating of the air when 
it is got on the wing. 
BUTCHER-BIRD. The Englifh name of 
the ianius, called alfo the ftirike, the fmalleft of 
all the European birds of prey, yet very fierce and 
deftru6live. 
The greater Butcher-Bird is only about the fize 
of a blackbird. It's bill, which is black, is about 
an inch long, and hooked at the end; to which 
mark, together with it's carnivorous appetite, it 
is indebted for being ranked among rapaciotis' 
birds : but it's flender legs and feet, and it's toes, 
which are formed differently from thofe of other 
birds of prey, feem to make it the connective be- 
tween thofe birds which live v/holly on fiefii and 
fuch as live principally on grain and infe^fls. In- 
deed, it's habits feem to correfpond exaflly with 
it's conformation, as it feeds indifcriminately oa 
flefli and infe£ts, and, in fome meafure, is found to 
partake of a double nature. It's appetite for the 
former, however, is moft prevalent; for when it 
can obtain flefh, it always gives it the preference to 
infects. Thus circumftanced, the life of this bird- 
is a continual feries of combat and oppofition ; it's 
fize being too infignificant to alarm fome of the 
fmaller birds of the foreft, it frequently meets with 
antagonifts who are willing to try their ftrength, 
and it never declines the engagement. It is afto- 
nilhing to behold with what intrepidity this little 
creature will engage the pie, the crow, and the 
keftril; all of v/hich are confiderably larger than it- 
felf, and fometimes prey upon flefh in the fam.e man - 
ner. The Butcher-Bird, however, not only fights 
on the defenfive, but frequently begins the attack, 
and always with advantage; particularly when the 
male and female unite to prote<5l their young, and 
to drive away the more powerfiil birds of rapine. 
They do not, at this feafon, wait the approach of 
their invaders; it is fufficient that they fee them at 
a diftance preparing for the affault. They imme- 
diately fally forth with loud cries, and attack them 
with uncommon fury. They generally come ofl-' 
victorious in thefe contefts; though it fometimes^ 
happens that they fall to the ground with their ad- 
verfarieSj and the combat ends in the deftruftion 
both of the affailants and the defenders. The moft 
redoubtable birds of prey are on friendly terms 
with the Butcher-Bird; the kite, the buzzard, and 
the crow, feem rather to fear tlian wifli to offend 
it. Nothing difplays more the refpeft paid to this 
I claim of courage, than to fee this little bird, fo 
' contemptible 
