320 Bill of Fare at the 



feathers of some bird snot in Anglesea, which he supposed to 

 have been those of the egret. It is reported, that 1000 of 

 these birds were served up at the celebrated feast given by 

 George Neville, Archbishop of York, at his enthronisation, in 

 January, 1466. Now, Willughby, who was born in Lincoln- 

 shire, and was, most likely, well acquainted with fen birds, 

 does not speak of the egret as being found in Britain, but 

 describes a specimen he procured at Venice ; from which we 

 may infer, that he never saw the bird in this country. And 

 so little alteration had taken place in the fens between Neville's 

 feast and the time of Willughby, that it is difficult to imagine 

 a cause for their extermination during that period ; for it 

 surely is going too far to ascribe it, with Bewick, to the omni- 

 vorous guests of the " prince bishop." If the egret was found 

 in England, was it a constant resident? It is said to be 

 migratory in Germany ; and, if migratory in this country, it 

 must have migrated south, and, therefore, have left us pre- 

 viously to the middle of winter, at which time Neville's feast 

 took place. This would rather favour the opinion of Dr. 

 Fleming, who thinks that some other bird, probably the lap- 

 wing (Vanellus cristatus), and not the egret, was served up 

 at that feast. But, even supposing Dr. Fleming to be wrong 

 in his conjecture, might not these egrets have been procured 

 from some other country? Upon the whole, I think that 

 neither Pennant's feathers nor Neville's feast is sufficient 

 authority to warrant the placing the egret among British birds. 

 I have recently been informed, upon good authority, that this 

 bird annually visited Horsey, in Norfolk, till about twelve 

 years ago, and that since that time it has disappeared. Can 

 any of the correspondents of this Magazine throw any light 

 upon the subject? — Edward Ventris, Clk. M.A. Cambridge , 

 Jan. 18. 1836. 



P. S. — Since writing the above, I have seen the Rev. 

 Leonard Jenyns's Manual of the British Vertebrate Animals, 

 in which he speaks of the egret as " an extremely rare and 

 accidental visitant in this country, though supposed to have 

 been more plentiful formerly. Said to have been shot in 

 Anglesey, and also in Ireland, many years ago. More 

 recently, in April, 1824, two specimens are recorded to have 

 been killed near Penzance, in Cornwall, and one of them to 

 have been preserved," Mr. Jenyns has not given his au- 

 thority. 



As the bill of fare, at the feast of Archbishop Neville, is a 

 curiosity interesting as well to the students of natural history 

 as to the disciples of Meg Dods and Dr. Kitchener, I subjoin 

 an extract of it from Leland's Collectanea, for the instruction 



