OTINiE. OTIS. 
39 
very long and wide. Nostrils linear, oblong, direct, slightly . 
operculate, nearly basal. Eyes rather large. Aperture of 
ear moderate. Legs long, and rather slender ; tibia bare for 
a third of its length, and reticulate ; tarsus long, reticulated 
with oblong subhexagonal scales ; toes three, short, scutellate 
above, marginate, spreading, with short basal webs ; claws 
short, depressed, convex, arched, thin-edged, obtuse. Plumage 
moderate, compact ; feathers narrow on the head and neck, 
ovate on the body ; wings long, broad, rather pointed, the 
third quill longest, the second little shorter, the first as long 
as the fifth ; tail short, of more than twelve feathers. 
Although furnished with large wings, these birds on ordi- 
nary occasions make little use of them ; yet their flight is 
strong and sustained. They run with great speed, couch on 
the ground to avoid their enemies, feed on vegetable sub- 
stances, worms, and insects, form a slight and rude nest 
among the herbage, or a mere cavity, and lay from two to 
five or more spotted eggs. Two species occur in Britain. 
162 . Otis Tarda. Great Bustard. 
Male with a tuft of slender elongated feathers from the 
chin on each side ; the bill yellowish-brown, the feet brown ; 
the head and upper neck greyish-white ; the louver hind neck, 
back, scapulars, and upper tail coverts, light reddish-yellow, 
transversely barred with black ; wing-coverts and inner secon- 
daries white; primaries black, with the shafts white; tail 
of twenty feathers, barred with yellow and black, and tipped 
with white ; fore part of neck, and all the lower parts white. 
Female much smaller, similar to the male, but with the tufts 
from the chin wanting or short. Tail of twenty feathers. 
Male, 44 . ., 24, 2J, 9, 4, if. Female, 35. 
The Great Bustard, formerly plentiful in many parts of 
England, is now of rare occurrence there, being found occa- 
sionally in the southern, eastern, and north-eastern counties. 
In Scotland, the only district in which it has of late years 
been seen is the low part of Morayshire. It is said to have 
been hunted with greyhounds ; yet many observers state that 
it rises on the wing without difficulty, and has a strong sedate 
flight. It runs with great speed, is generally very shy, keeps 
in flocks, and feeds chiefly on vegetable substances, but also 
on insects and worms. The nest is rudely constructed, among 
grass or corn ; the eggs, according to Mr Yarrell, two or three 
