i2o OUTDOOR LIFE IN ENGLAND 



during the war between England and Russia, 

 makes special mention of their power of flight as 

 follows : ' An immense flight of bustards passed 

 over here about two days ago, going south. I 

 was not out shooting that day, but a great many 

 were killed near the Highland Division. I heard 

 of one that weighed thirty pounds. I had no 

 idea that their powers of flight were so great. 

 They appear to fly quite as well as wild-geese, 

 which they much resemble on the wing.' 



Baldwin, in his 'African Hunting,' mentions 

 having killed a bustard weighing, at the lowest 

 estimate, fifty-four pounds. It was the large- 

 crested bustard. Referring to the lesser bustard, 

 he says : * They are the most delicious birds, from 

 three to five pounds in weight, and real game in 

 their habits. . . . They are very difficult birds 

 to put up ; they run like land-rails. . . . These 

 bustards will often run more than half a mile.' 

 He also speaks of a medium-sized bustard, pro- 

 bably the variety which were formerly to be 

 found in England, as weighing from fifteen to 

 thirty pounds. 



If bustards possess great powers of flight, as 

 may be concluded from the fact of their ever 

 reaching this country, it seems strange that they 

 should so rarely be seen in this country nowadays. 

 That this is so may, perhaps, be due to the in- 

 creased cultivation of the land, these birds pre- 

 ferring to reside in wild, uncultivated districts. 

 Even in India they are less common than formerly. 



