The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-18
HUNrING THE BUsrARD.
Russian Sportsmen with Only Whips for
Weapons.

Weapons.
Boston Transcript.
The drachwa, as Russians call the bustard, is
true bird of the steppe High grounds have
no attraction for it and, long as the weather
is open, it scorns the shelter of reed and under
wood. camping out, ike Ver1GaOie nomad, on
the bare steppe, and nesting in the open where
1T find plenty of grass. OF which, bv the way,
1t can eat enormous quantities. Towards the mid
die of November great proportion of the birds
migrate and do not return until the
end of March, but large numbers remain
behind and winter In the more southerly
parts or Russia, In the region stretching from
the Dneister and Dneiper right away to the Don
and even the Ural. Why many of the birds
should resist the migratory instinct when their
fellows wing their way to warmer countries is q
question which ornithologists have yet to settle.
In winter the birds are found associated in large
numbers-as many as eighty or a hundred to-
gether. But this does not arise from any desire
for companionship, nor have the fowls any COM
mon purpose to serve IN SO associating. Il Is
due to the simple fact that the within
which food is TO be had becomes more and more
circumscribed as the weather gets colder. And
it is to be observed that the parties composing
the flock never mingle. If from any cause
such body, eighty a hundred strong,
be disturbed, it will instantly break up into
three four distinct troops, in which every in
dividual appears to know it's place. If, again,
one of these smaller divisions of twenty thir-
~ be pursued the birds will separate into par
ties of ten twelve. each batch making off in
different direction. In ordinary winter weather
the birds take shelter beneath the nearest I'M
derwood or brush; and at such times the hunter
may look in vain for the bustard. But with
exceptionally strong frost, cold snap lasting
more than couple of days, comes the sports
mans opportunity. Then the poor creature
falls an easy prey to its enemies, for at such
time it is subject to o strange disability. The
feathers of its wings freeze covering or Ice
forms over them aud the bird Is unable to RISE
During the night the heavy hoarfrost that
prevails during exceptionally cold weather in
Russia settles on and in the wing-feathers. bind
ing them together. In this condition the bird
seeks the open and passes it's beak through it's
frozen pinions to free them from the ice. But
if the heavy frost continue night and a day,
or the bird be prevented from leaving the brush
TO free itself from the lncumbrance, all ID over
with it. The Ice crystals still form upon and
overpower it's wings, the bird sinks from over
fatigue and cold, and the fox and woif-aways
on the watch for this opportunity-fnd the
bustard an easy prey Aware OF this,
to do and where TO look for their quar-
ry. When unusually severe spell of cold
sets in, or very keen hoar-frost lasts more
than day so. they make their preparations.
Horses are carefully rough snod, for the sporE is
pursued horseback, and the ground is as
smooth and slippery as a sheet OF ice. Then in
the morning, not too early, the party, four, five
six strong. starts Each one goes armed with
a whip having a stout handle. and couple of
lassos; firearms are not needed The most prom
ising feeding grounds in the neighborhood are,
of course, known TO the spoTtsmen. and they
make for the cover nearest these places. Now
they bea: the underwood and brush, hallooing
and cracking their whips. The frightened birds
rush out and try to make for the
open. But the weight Of their frozen
wings presses them down; the feathers are
covered with ice; they neither rise run
They Just waddle here and there in a helpless,
ungainly fashion Crack crack go the whips
aud the birds nearest the horsemen fall right
and left instantly killed by dexterous blow on
the head with the whip-stock. Out fly the lassos,
ana more distant birds struggling in the
moose. Where four, five six persons take
part in such hunt. q few minutes suffice to
dispatch q fairly large number of bustards; aud
then move Is made to fresh ground. The
buetard, it is curious to note Is the only bird of
the steppe that is liable TO this freezing Of the
pinion feathers in severe weather. but ducks are
often found the larger rivers frozen to the
ice by their legs.