56 THE GREAT AUK 



Sheringham, unexpectedly found one (a male bird) on 

 his property in Blackdyke Fen, Hockwold, and by means 

 of letters to neighbouring landowners, and the dis- 

 semination of printed notices, made strenuous efforts to 

 prevent its being shot. Steps to provide it with a mate 

 were taken by the late Lord Lilford. In company with 

 Mr. Upcher and a few privileged friends we had the 

 satisfaction of watching the movements of the illustrious 

 visitor and seeing the hen bird turned out in the same 

 field of coleseed with it ; but the weather being very 

 inclement at the time, the hen bird was accidentally 

 drowned in a fen dyke, and the male after a stay of seven 

 weeks disappeared. 



During more than fifty years, up to the time of his 

 death, Newton collected details of the history of the 

 Great Bustard, more especially with reference to its 

 extinction. He amassed an immense amount of in- 

 formation which was to take form, some day, in a book 

 to be called " The Bustard in Britain," but he was never 

 satisfied with the completeness of his material, and the 

 book still awaits an editor. 



Attempts have been made, from time to time, to 

 reintroduce the Great Bustard into Great Britain, but 

 none of them have been successful. Amongst those who 

 made the experiment was Prince Dhuleep Singh, the 

 owner of Elveden Hall. 



Bloxworth, August 31, 1874. 



My dear Lilford, 



I have little doubt that if you were the owner 

 of Elden you would be successful in introducing the 

 Bustard, while I don't beUeve that Dhuleep Singh ever 

 will be. 



As regards the migration of Bustards formerly in 

 England I have always been in doubt. Neither in 

 Norfolk nor Suffolk did they ever seem to have appeared 

 in their usual abundance in the shooting season. I 

 think I stated this in the notes with which I furnished 



