I
T a b . L X X II .
OTIS NIGRICEP S .
O t. corpore su p ra p a llid e hadio, ru fo -h ru n n eo g r a c ilite r u n d u la te ; collo, m a c u lis p a r c is alarum,
a b d omineque a lb is ; c a p ite c r is ta to , te c tr ic ib u s a la rum e x te r io r ib u s , r em ig ib u s , n ot& iue g r a n d i
p e c to r a li n ig r is .
L o n g itu d o corporis a b ap ic e r o s tr i a d a p ic em c a u d æ , p c d . 4 ; la titu d e , 44.
T his magnificent bird is one o f the largest and finest of its genus, of which it is a typical example, possessing
tlie general habits and manners o f its race. Though the specimen from winch the figure in tliis Plate is taken
was brought from the higli lands o t the Himalaya, it is by no means confined to that locality, as Lieut. Col.
Sykes noticed it abundantly in the country o f the M ahrattas, where it is acconntcd one o f the greatest delicacies
of the table. According to the accounts furnished by this diligent and accompllslicd observer, the species
lives in flocks consisting o f numerous Individuals, inhabiting the wide and ojicn country. The male possesses
the gniar pouch common to the Otis tarda. It appears to incubate on the naked earth, the egg being oval,
o f an olive brown with obscure spots of darker brown olive. The female re.scmhlcs the male in plumage, but
is nearly oue third less.
The top of the head and crest arc je t black ; the neck white ; the upper surface and tall are o f a rich
brown colour barred with small zigzag lines of black ; the outer wing-coverts arc black with a few white spots;
the under sm-facc white, except a large black band across the chest, passing from shoulder to shoulder ; tim
bill and tarsi are yellowisli.
The figure is one third of the natural size.
O T i lH .V [ [ '.R :[■{'. K, iA Y .