17 
a tuft or plume of about seven inches in length on the head ; the 
tail feathers are tipped with white, and the bird is altoyether a 
very handsome fellow indeed. The. young, at a month old, are 
said to be covered with a buff-coloured ‘down,’ barred upon the 
back, wings, and sides with black. There are, or there were, 
specimens of the bird in the Zoological Gardens, in the Regent’s. 
Park. In a plate of Domesticata, however, the length of their 
age is so reduced that it seldom exceeds two or three years, and 
they never have shown any inclination to breed in confinement. 
The English specimens are fast becoming, if indeed they have not 
become, extinct, and with them the recollection of sport known 
ouly to past generations. The birds taken last winter (and 
probably my specimen of 1856) were, I believe, migratory birds, 
and therefore the value attached to them, as one of the ancient 
game-birds of the country, ceases to some extent. I have 
endeavoured to obtain a specimen of the Great Bustard to exhibit 
to the Club this evening, and for that purpose have visited both 
the Mr. Ward, in Vere Street, and Mr. Ward, in Wigmore Street, 
but neither of them, even amongst their splendid collections, have: 
any specimen or skin of the Great Bustard. Our meetings,. 
hitherto, have been occupied by learned Papers (too learned for- 
some of us), subjects connected with microscopy, and I venture to 
hope that one evening, or part of an evening, as this has been, 
devoted occasionally to natural history, and to discussions upon 
that very interesting and instructive subject, will add materially to 
the popularity of our already popular Club. 
The Presipent exhibited a bustard’s egg, besides which there 
was a case containing two stuffed specimens of the bird on the 
table. These birds, however, Mr. Rowxzanp informed the Club, 
were foreign. 
A Member said he was under the impression that there was. 
a Great Bustard shot in Suffolk some six years ago. 
Mr. Rowxayp thought that was a hen bird the gentleman was 
alluding to. Only lately ,two hens had been seen, no doubt, 
migratory. It was a singular thing that so few cock birds were 
ever seen now, and doubtless it was owing to their being very 
scarce, or keeping away from this country. 
The PresipentT said the capture of the Great Bustards in this. 
country had been announced in Land and Water lately, but their 
sex was not stated. He continued that Mr. Linney had men- 
tioned to him the discovery of a rare British plant in the 
neighbourhood of Croydon. 
Mr. G. F. Linney, at the request of the President, addressed 
<he meeting with regard to the discovery. The plant in question, 
the Cluytonia Perfoliata, was found by one of his school-koys nut 
far from Carshalton. 
Mr. E. B. Sturce stated that the Claytonia Perfoliatu was 
