( 73 ) 
The 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 j 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 20 Pounds, at 16 Ounces to the Pound, To bring this Figure with¬ 
in the Compals of my Page, I reduced my Foot to three Inches; which, according to my Way 
of Pjvjfion by folid Squares, makes this Figure to Nature as i to 64. It is undoubtedly the biggeft 
Bird produced in the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. 
, The Bill is of a lightilh Horn-colour, a little inclining to Yellow; the Eyes are Orange-colour; 
the Head and Neck are of a fine light Alh-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 Females: 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 jthe Middle of the Crown of the Head ; but what is moft furprizing in this 
Bird was firft difcovered by ^t\zx.z James Douglafs., M. D. Fellow of the College of Phyficians; 
it is a Pouchor Bag to hold frefh 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 leflfer 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 pleafant red 
Rofe-colour; the Side Feathers of the Tail are White, a little clouded with faint Orange, and blue 
Afh-colour, with each a tranfverfe Bar of Bla,ck near their Tips; It hath 32 or 33 ^ills, or 
prime Feathers, in each Wing; the firft feven or eight of a dark Afh-colour, with white Shafts; 
then follows about 15, having their bottom Halves White, the Remainder to their Tips being 
Black, but the Black becomes gradually lefs 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 Flefh, inclining to Afh-colour. 
Thofe who would fee the Anatomy of this Bird, may confult the Baris Memoires de VAcademic 
Royale des Sciences., depuis 1666. jufqu* a 1699. Tom 3. Seconde Partie, p. 101. where is an 
. Anatomical Defcription of fix Males, in which they have miffed the Difcovery of the curious Refer- 
voir for Water, the chief Ufe of which I take to be forfupplying the Hen whilSTitting, and for 
the young ones before they can fly to help themfelves to Water. 
This Bird was prefented to me frefli, and in fine order, by Mr. Daniel Gwilt of Milk-Street 
London, my much efteemed Friend and Relation. I have been informed by a curious Gentleman 
of Norfolk^ who has weighed fome of. the largeft Cocks, that they have fometimes exceeded 27 
Pounds, of 16 Ounces. 
G ne 
