144 The Great Bustard. 
with rain. But I must adduce the arguments of the advocates for 
the contrary opinion, that neither old nor young birds were so 
hunted with dogs at all, and these are founded on the supposed 
impossibility of the thing. Thus, Selby, the talented author of the 
“ Tilustrations of British Ornithology,” says, ‘upon being disturbed, 
so far from running, in preference to flight, (as has been often 
described), it rises upon wing with great facility, and flies with much 
strength and swiftness, usually to another haunt, which will some- 
times be at the distance even of six or seven miles. It has also 
been said, that in former days, when the species was of common 
occurrence, it was a practice to run down the young birds, (before 
they were able to fly), with greyhounds, as affording excellent 
diversion; so far from this possibility existing, with respect to the 
present remnant of the breed, the young birds, upon being alarmed, 
constantly squat close to the ground, in the same manner as the 
young of the Lapwing, Golden Plover, &c., and in that position 
are frequently taken by the hand.” The same opinion, though 
with somewhat less confidence, is given by Mr. Nicholson, (quoted 
by Yarrell in his paper on the bustard, read before the Linnean 
Society), who had enjoyed great opportunities of observing these 
birds in the neighbourhood of Seville, where they abounded; he 
says, “they never try to run; one that I had winged making the 
most absurd attempts possible to get away from me, and though a 
young bird, showing much more disposition to fight, than to get 
away by running. I cannot imagine greyhounds being able to 
catch bustards, though there seems to be good authority for believing 
they did.” 
With these observations, and leaving every one to form his own 
conclusions on this much-disputed point, I take leave of the Great 
Bustard, regretting with all my heart, the extinction of so noble a 
bird from its once favorite haunts on our open wide-spreading 
downs, and earnestly entreating all who can glean any authentic 
information regarding its habits and appearance, within the memory 
of living persons, to rescue from oblivion facts of such deep interest 
to the Ornithological world, relating, as they do, not only to the 
largest, but, I may say, the noblest and most highly prized of 
