406 BIRDS OF NOEFOLK. [APPENDIX B.] 



whose land at Hockwold it took up its abode, while 

 every inducement for it to prolong its stay was oflfered. 

 The arrival of the bird was made known to Mr. Upcher 

 on the 24th January, 1876, and on his going to the place, 

 a field of coleseed, where he was told he should see it, 

 he found to his astonishment that it was a fine male. 

 He at once gave orders that it should not be disturbed, 

 and the situation it had selected, being in the heart of 

 Blackdyke Fen, bounded by wide ditches, was a pretty 

 safe one. Here it was seen for several days in succes- 

 sion, though it occasionally shifted its position at the 

 approach of any person, always returning to the cole- 

 seed, however, at nightfall. On the 2nd and 3rd of 

 February it was observed by Mr. (now Sir) Edward 

 Newton, and Messrs. Francis and Edward Newcome 

 — on the latter of these days Professor Newton being 

 also of the party. On the 8th Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., 

 went to the place and had a good view it. The same 

 day Mr. Upcher received by telegram an offer from Lord 

 Lilford, who had been informed of the occurrence, of a 

 hen bustard to turn out in tlie hope that her presence 

 would induce the cock to remain. The offer was joy- 

 fully accepted : the bird arrived the next day, and on 

 the 10th of February Mr. Upcher assembled a party of 

 wedding guests, including the Messrs. Newcome, Sir 

 Edward and Professor Newton, Mr. Salvin, and Mr. 

 Harting, who had come from London expressly to be 

 present. The hen bustard was accordingly released, the 

 greatest care being taken not to alarm the cock in so 

 doing. He, however, took wing, and though he soon 

 returned, yet a snowstorm, which unhappily came on, 

 had caused her to move away from the spot where he 

 alighted. That night there was a sharp frost followed 

 next day by a fog, so that it could not be seen whether 

 the two birds had joined company; but on the 12th 

 and 13th both were observed by the watcher, whom Mr. 

 Upcher employed for the purpose, to be walking aboat 

 together — and indeed the male was reported as strut- 

 ting and " traping his wings like a turkey-cock." The 

 next night, however, there unfortunately fell a deep 

 snow : the male was seen close to the shelter of hurdles 

 and straw which had been prepared for the female, who 



