( 73 ) 
Bustard Cock. 
T his Bird meafures from Tip to Tip of the Wings, when extended, fevenFeet four Inches; 
from the Point of the Bill to the Ends of the Claws three Feet nine Inches and a half ; to 
the End of the Tail three Feet fix Inches ; from the Angle of the Mouth to the Point of the Bill 
three Inches and a Quarter; the Leg, from the Knee to the Bottom of the Heel, feven Inches 
and a Quarter; Middle Toe near three Inches; prime Quills twenty Inches; the Wing when 
clofed two Feet : It weighed 2o Pounds, at i6 Ounces to the Pound. To bring this Figure with- 
in the Compafs of my Page, I reduced my Foot to three Inches; which, according to my Way 
of Divifion by Iblid Squares, makes this Figure to Nature as i to 64. It is undoubtedly the biggdl 
Bird produced in the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, 
The Bill is of a lightifti Horn-colour, a little inclining to Yellow ; the Eyes are Orange-colour ; ■ 
the Head and Neck are of a fine light Afh-colour, inclining to Blue ; the fore Part of the Neck, 
in the Middle, very light, or white : It hath long Feathers proceeding from the Sides of the lower 
Mandible of the Bill, which tend backwards in the Form of Whifkers ; but thefe are wanting in 
the Fepiales : On each Side of the Neck the Skin is bare of Feathers, of a Violet-colour, which 
Skin is covered with the Feathers when the Neck is much extended : It hath a fmall Intermixture 
of Orange-colour in the Middle of the Crown of the Head ; but what is moft furprizing in this 
Bird was firft difeovered by the late James Doughfs^ M. D. Fellow^ of the College of Phyficians ; 
it is a Pouch or Bag to hold frcih Water, which fupplies the Bird in dry Places when diftant from 
Waters; the Entrance into it is between the under Side of the Tongue and the lower Mandible 
of the Bill ; This Bag is reprefented blown up by the Letter A, I poured into it, before the Head 
was taken off, full feven Wine Pints fwhich about equals feven Pounds of our common Weight) 
before it run over. B. Shews the Wind-pipe. C. The Throat, or common PafTage of the 
'Food. This Bag is wanting in the Hen. The lower Part of the Neck behind, the whole Back, 
Rump, middle Feathers of the Tail, and lefier Coverts of the Wings, are of a bright Brown or 
Orange-colour, beautifully barred tranfverfely, and in fome Parts fpotted and powdered irregu- 
larly with Black ; the Down at the Roots of the Feathers all over the Body is of a pleafint red 
Rofe-colour ; the Side Feathers of the Tail are White, a little clouded with faint Orange, and blue 
Alh-colour, with each a tranfverle Bar of Black near their Tips: It hath 32 or 33 Chills, or 
prime Feathers, in each Wing ; the firft feven or eight of a dark Afh-colour, with white Shafts ; 
then follows about 1 5, having their bottom Halves White, the Remainder to their Tips being 
Black, but the Black becomes gradually Ids deep as they are nearer the Body, and wholly difap- 
pears in the 25th or 26th Quill ; then follows five or fix purely White; the remaining three or four 
next the Back of the fame Colour with the Back: All that Part of the Wing which falls on the Breaft 
and Belly is White, a little clouded with a light Afh-colour, which Whitenefs takes up the lower , 
Part of the Wing when it is clofed, from the Joint or Shoulder almoft to the End of the Wing : 
The Breaft, Belly, Thighs, Coverts beneath the Tail, Sides under the Wings, and covert Fea- 
thers within Side of the Wings, are purely White : The Legs are ftrong, covered with fmall 
Scales ; the Feet are thick and clumfy ; it hath a round Heel, and three Toes, which are fhort in 
Proportion, all ftanding forward ; the Claws are ftrong, not very fharp pointed ; and the Legs 
and Feet are of a dirty FJefh, inclining to Afli-colour. 
Thole who would fee the Anatomy of this Bird, may confult the Baris Memoires de lAcademk 
Royale des Sciences^ depuis 1666. julqu’ a 1699. Tom 3. Seconde Partie, p. 101. where is an 
Anatomical Defeription of fix Males, in which they have miffed the Difeovery of the curious Refer- 
voir for Water, the chief LTfe of which I take to be for fupplying the Lien while fitting, and for 
the young ones before they can fly to help themlelves to Water. 
This Bird was prefented to me frefli, and in fine order, by Mr. Daniel Gwilt of MilhStreet, 
London^ my much efteemed Friend and Relation. I have been informed by a curious Gentleman 
of Norfolk^ wdio has weighed fbme of the largeft Cocks, tliat they have fometimes exceeded 27 
Pounds, of 1 6 Ounces, 
G ‘Tlit 
