OTIS, the bustard, in natural history, a genus of birds of the order Callina. Ge neric character : bill somewhat convex ; nostrils oval and open ; tongue bifid and pointed ; legs long, and naked above the knee ; only three toes. Gmelin men tions eleven species, and Latham nine. We shall notice only the following : 0. tarda, or the great bustard, is found in the plains of Europe, Asia, and Africa, but has never been observed in the New Continent. In England it is occasionally met With on Salisbury Plain, and in the wolds of Yorkshire, and formerly was not uncommonly seen in flocks of forty or fifty. It is the largest of British land birds, weighing often twenty-five or thir ty pounds. It runs with great rapidity, so as to escape the pursuit of common dogs, but falls speedily a victim to the greyhound, which often overtakes it be fore it has power to commence its flight, the preparation for which, in this bird, is slow and laborious. The female lays her eggs on the bare ground, never more than two in number, in a hole scratched by her for the purpose ; and if these are touched or soiled during her occasional absence, she immediately abandont them. The male is distinguished by a large pouch, beginning under the tongue, and reaching to the breast, capable of hold ing, according to Linn us, seven quarts of water. This is sometimes useful to the
female during incubation, and to the young before they quit their nest ; and it has been observed to be eminently ad vantageous to the male bird himself, who on being attacked by birds of prey, has often discomfited his enemies by the sud den and violent discharge of water upon them. These birds are solitary and shy, and feed principally upon grasses, worms, and grain. They were formerly much hunted with dogs, and considered as sup plying no uninteresting diversion. They swallow stones, pieces of metal, and other hard substances. Buffon states that one was opened by the academicians of Prance, which contained in its stomach ninety doubloons, and various stones, all highly smoothed by the attrition of the stomach. See Ayes, Plate Xl. fig. I.
0. tetrax, or the little bustard, is met with in many parts of Europe, particular ly in France, where it is taken by nets. It is rarely seen in England ; is shy and cunning, if molested will fly about two hundred paces, and then run so fast that a man cannot overtake it. Its flesh is like that of the great bustard, rich and delicate, and it would appear worthwhile to attempt the domestication of both these birds.