

STRUCTURE OF THE GREAT BUSTARD. 157 



have referred to, a Spaniard on board the steamer told me that two or three months earlier 

 in the year was the time for shooting the bird, and that then they were not difficult to 

 approach with the assistance of cattle or carts, if I remember right. This would of course 

 be in the breeding season." 



My next communication was received from John Britton, Esq., so favourably known for 

 the great extent of his interesting labours. It is copied from a letter in his possession, 

 with permission to use it, and refers to Salisbury Plain : — 



" A man, about 4 o'clock of a fine morning in June 1801, was coming on horseback 

 from Tinhead to Tilshead. "While at, or near, an enclosure called Asking's Penning, one 

 mile from the village of Tilshead, he saw over his head, about sixty yards high as near as 

 he could estimate, a large bird, which afterwards proved to be a Bustard. The bird 

 alighted on the ground immediately before the horse, which it indicated a disposition to 

 attack, and in fact very soon began the onset. The man alighted, and getting hold of 

 the bird endeavoured to secure it ; and after struggling with it nearly an hour he suc- 

 ceeded, and brought it to Mr. J. Bartley of Tilshead, to whose house he was going. Not 

 knowing the value of such a bird, he offered it to Mr. Bartley as a present ; but Mr. Bart- 

 ley declined to accept it as such, though he much wished to have it, and after repeated 

 solicitations prevailed on the man to receive for it a small sum, with which he was per- 

 fectly satisfied. During the first week that Mr. Bartley had this bird in his possession it 

 was not known to eat anything ; however, at length it became very tame, and would at 

 last receive its food from its patron's hands, but still continued shy in the presence of 

 strangers. Its principal food was birds, chiefly sparrows, which it swallowed whole in 

 the feathers with a great deal of avidity. The flowers of charlock and the leaves of rape 

 formed also other parts of its food. Mice it would likewise eat, and in short almost any 

 other animal substance. The food on passing into the stomach was observed to go round 

 the back part of the neck. 



" Mr. Bartley is of opinion that the idea of the Bustard's drinking is erroneous ; in sup- 

 port of which he says, that during the time this Bustard was in his possession, which was 

 from June till the August following, it had not a drop of water given it, after two or three 

 weeks at first. This fact he considers as a proof that the generally received opinion of a 

 Bustard's drinking is untrue. 



" This bird was judged to weigh upwards of 20 lbs., and to measure between the extre- 

 mities of its wings when extended about 5 feet, and its height was about 3 \ feet. Its 

 plumage was beautiful ; and from its gait, which was extremely majestic, a spectator 

 would be led to infer that it was sensible of its own superiority over others of the feathered 

 tribe. 



" In August Mr. Bartley sold this noble bird to Lord Temple for the sum of thirty 

 guineas. 



" The Bustard inhabits the extensive downs of Salisbury Plain ; but its race is now 

 almost extirpated. It is thought that not more than three or four are now remaining. 

 Some time in the last summer (viz. 1801), while Mr. Bartley had this bird in his pos- 

 session, a nest, supposed to belong to this bird, or at least to his mate, for Mr. Bartley' s 

 bird was judged to be a male, was found in a wheat-field on Market Lavington Down. 



VOL. XXI. Y 



