PONDS, PADDOCKS, AND AVIARIES 57 



" In the enclosure next to the skuas is a group of 

 great bustards, from Spain, all birds of last year. This 

 fine species, as most of you are probably aware, was 

 formerly well known, and not uncommon, as a resident 

 in various parts of England, notably in the open districts 

 of Norfolk, Suffolk, the downs of Sussex, Hampshire 

 and Wiltshire, and the wolds of Yorkshire ; but 

 enclosure, high farming, and the increase of population 

 have driven the bustards away, and in England nowadays 

 we are only occasionally visited by a few stragglers, that 

 very rarely escape the fate of all uncommon birds. In 

 Spain the great bustard is still very numerous, and is not 

 much molested by the natives, who do not esteem its 

 flesh highly ; yet a young bustard is, in my opinion, 

 excellent for the table, and even the old males, which 

 not infrequently weigh 30 lb., can be made into 

 first-rate soup. From the nature of the country that 

 they inhabit, and their exceeding wariness, these birds 

 afford most exciting sport. On this subject I cannot 

 do better than refer any of those present who may 

 be interested in sport or natural history to a work 

 entitled I'Vild Spain by Messrs. Abel Chapman and 

 W. Buck. 



"In conclusion of our round of inspection at Lilford, 

 we next come to what no doubt will prove to ornitholo- 

 gists the plum of the collection, in an enclosure in the 

 park behind the house known as the Pinetum. Here 

 we have a pond with various species of ducks and a 



