CATALOGUE OF THE BIRDS OF SUFFOLK 107 



it and the Japanese, and between it and the Bantam fowl 

 on Lord Rendlesham's estate (C. B. !). Boyd-Dawkins 

 (Ibis, 1869, p. 16 quoted in Dresser, B. of Eur. vii. 86) 

 has some interesting remarks on its history; he points 

 out that the most ancient record of the occurrence of the 

 Pheasant in Great Britain is to be found in a bill of fare 

 drawn up by Harold for the Canons of Waltham, a.d. 1059, 

 and he concludes with great probability that this bird was 

 introduced into Britain by the Romans. The true home 

 of this species is South-eastern Europe and Asia Minor. 



Fam. Tetraonid^!. 

 Black Grouse, Tetrao tetrix, L. 



West Suffolk. 



7. A female was picked up dead in the mouth of a rabbit hole at Elve- 

 den Oct. 12, 1844 ; a male bird was seen in an adjoining parish in the first 

 week of September ; Prof. Newton believes this is the first instance of the 

 bird being found in Suffolk, (A. Newton in Z. 794). 



This instance can only be regarded as accidental ; it 

 occurred to me that a pair of Norfolk birds had probably 

 gone astray, but Prof. Newton now thinks that there is 

 little doubt they had been turned out (in litt.). § 



§ The following has even less claim to lack of water, and the absence of the kinds 



he regarded as a Suffolk species : — of insects they feed upon. His Highness 



Red Grouse, Tetrao scoticus, Latham. also in 1865 tried Capercailzie and Black 



An attempt was made about 1866 to Game with a like result. Again, so late 



introduce this bird into Suffolk. Four as 1878, he got some Capercailzie's eggs 



were turned out at Butley Abbey Farm, from Scotland, and made another attempt, 



belonging to Lord Rendlesham. One of The eggs hatched out well ; and the 



them was unfortunately shot the following young birds appeared at first to be going 



Christmas, it is now preserved at Ren • on all right, healthy and strong ; but 



dlesham Hall. (W. Biddell in litt., and after a very short time they refused the 



A. W. Crisp in litt.). It has also been artificial food supplied to them, searched 



turned down recently at Elveden by His about the grounds for their usual kind of 



Highness the Maharajah Duleep Singh. food or insects, and failing to find them, 



I have been favoured with the following pined and di 3<i. I need scarcely add that 



account of his endeavours to naturalize the Maharajah took a deep interest in the 



the Grouse, Black Grouse and Capercailzie matter, and that everything that could be 



in that neighbourhood by Mr. Jofferies, done was done to ensure success. We 



the Steward of His Highness : — " The have no running streams, and the soil is 



Prince in two successive years (1864 and sandy and dry hereabouts." The experi- 



1865) had a quantity of Grouse brought ment of turning out grouse was tried, 



from his Scotch Moor, Grandtully, Perth- Prof. Newton informs me, at least ten 



shire, and turned down at Elveden, but years before at Brandon bv Mr. Bliss, but 



they were a complete failure. They died with the like result, 

 off in a short time. He attributed it to the 



