THE GREAT BUSTARD 69 



tion from man. Much of the country formerly 

 inhabited by this bird remains in a very similar 

 condition to what it was when the Bustard roamed 

 over it. That the bird can exist in well-cultivated 

 areas is proved by its presence upon some of the 

 most highly farmed land in the world in North 

 Germany ; and we can see no reason why this 

 species should not be perfectly at home upon such 

 places as the Norfolk " brecks " and the open land 

 of the Wiltshire downs to-day, were reasonable 

 protection afforded it. Another cause of its 

 extinction was the introduction of the corn-drill 

 and the horse-hoe, which led to the discovery of 

 its nests, and of course to their destruction by 

 ignorant farm labourers. The fact that the birds 

 moult their quills so rapidly as for some time to 

 be incapable of flight may also have helped in 

 their extinction. Had the Bustard been carefully 

 preserved during the breeding season, and only 

 killed in reasonable numbers, and its capture with 

 traps made illegal, there seems no reason why the 

 bird should not have retained its place as an 

 indigenous species down to the present time. 

 Possibly the day may come again when the Great 

 Bustard will be seen in the old haunts, for there is 

 nothing to prevent its introduction being attended 



