BUSTARD. European and Indian bustard. Beet-rniaka, . CAN., TEL. Jangli kaboot, . . Hum. Ostarde, Outarde, Hont- Starda commune, . . IT.
arde, Bistarde, . FR. Cowdun, Ahu-buru, PERS. Trapp, Trappe, Trap- Jars, 51 gaps, . . . . GER. Gustard, . . SCOTCH.
Ackentrappe, . . „ Abu•tarda SP Der Grosse Trappe, „ Nil-Naray, . . . TAM.
It is the Otis tarda, the great bustard of Europe, to which the English name bustard is usually given ; but in the classifications of zoologists the family Otididm has three genera, the lloubara, Eupodotis, and Sypheotides, some species of the last being usually termed florikin.
Eupodotis Edwardsii, Gray. Indian bustard. Otis nigriceps, Vig. I Otis lucionensis, Vieill.? Tokdar, Burrs, . HIND. Gurrayin of Hurriana.
Sohun Gugunbher, „ Bat-myaka, . . . TEL.
This noble bird is 4i to 5 feet long, and extent 8 feet. It weighs 26 to 28 lbs. It is not known in Bengal, Behar, or the Malabar coast, but seeks the open grassy plains of India. It is becoming very scarce in the cultivated country, but is said to be still abundant in Ilajputana. Their usual food arc insects, but they eat reptiles and fruits. They are polygamous, and at the breeding season the male struts about on some eminence, puffing out the feathers of the neck and throat.
O. lucionensis of China may be a distinct species.
Other species are E. tiara. Ruffen ; E. Ludwigi, , Rupp. ; E. Caffra, Licht; E. Denhaini, Children ; E. Arabs, L. ; and E. Kori, Iturehell. A species very closely allied to E. E lwardsii is the Otis Australis, Gray, the wild turkey of Australia.
IIoubara Macqueenii, Gray, Houbara bustard.
Otis marmorata, Only.
Dugdoor, . . Amu. I Tilaor, HIND.
Hurriana florikin, . ENO. Obarra, . .
This bird has a beautifully crested head, is 25 to 30 inches long, and extended is 4 feet. It weighs 31- to 3i lbs. It is supposed that both the male and the female assume the ruff in the breed ing season. It is found throughout the plains of the Panjab and Upper Sind, where it is much hawked with the cherrug falcon, Falco sacer. It also occurs from Heidi to Afghanistan, in Mesopo tamia, in Europe, and England. It occasionally
baffles the hawk by ejecting on it a horribly stinking fluid, which besmears and soils the hawk's plumage. Houbara undulata occurs in N. Africa and Arabia, and visits Spain.
Sypheotides Bengalensis, Gmelirt.
Otis deliciosa, Gray. I Otis Himalayana, Viyors.
Charas, charaj, charaz, H. I Dabar of Nepal Terai.
The Bengal florikin is about 24 to 27 inches long, and 44 to 47 inches extended. In the breed ing dress of the male, the whole head, which is crested, also the neck, breast, and lower parts, with the thigh coverts, are deep glossy black. It is found from Lower Bengal to all along the foot of the Himalaya. The sexes live apart, at no great distance from each other. They eat insects and sprouts of plants. It is shy and wary.
Sypheotides auritus, Latham, lesser florikin.
Otis fulva, Sykes.
Khar titr of Bhils. Likh , HIND.
Kan-noul, . . Tan-mohr, . . MATia.
Cha.raz, cha.ras, DUCH. Warragu _ . TAM.
Chulla charras, . . „ Niala nimili, . . . Tza.
The Canarese, Mahratta, and Telugu names mean `ground peafowl.' In breeding plumage, the male, in head, neck, ear - tufts, medial wing covers, and the whole lower plumage, is deep black ; the chin alone is white. It is 18 or 19 inches long, and weighs 16 or 18 oz. Dr. Jerdon considers the black and common grey florikin to be identical, but in the plumage of different seasons ; it is found throughout India, from the Himalaya to the south. It eats insects and beetles. It is hawked by the baz, the laggar, the shahin, and wokhab.
Otis tetrax, L., the Tetrax campestris; the small bustard of Europe, is said to have been found in the Peshawur valley, and occurs in Central and Western Asia and North Africa.
The following are bustards of Africa, some of which spread into Arabia, viz. O. rhaad, Shaw ; O. emruleseens, Fein. ; O. scolopacea, Tenon.; O. afra, L. ; O. afroides, S.; O. Seuegalensis, ; O. melanogaster, Rupp.
The Australian bustard is the O. Australis; in the pairing season, the attitudinizing of the male is extremely singular.—Ainslie, Mat. Ailed.; Eng. Cyc.; Jerdon, Birds. See Birds.