GREAT BUSTARD. 13 



conclude this notice. It is to be remarked that cock birds 

 are said to have been comparatively scarce in this drove, 

 three being the most that are spoken to by any eye- 

 witness, and, as has just been stated, when the numbers 

 of the drove were much diminished, cocks were entirely 

 wanting. These observations probably refer to the 

 old cocks, which so greatly surpass the hens in 

 size, for it must be remembered that, as is known 

 through foreign observers, the male bustard is several 

 years in attaining its full growth, and until then it 

 cannot be readily distinguished from the female at a 

 distance.* 



Whether the bustard was (and, in countries such as 

 Spain and Central Germany where it still exists, is) 

 polygamous must be regarded as an open question. The 

 evidence of Norfolk and Suffolk observers certainly tends 

 to the belief that it was so ; but, on the other hand, the 

 late Professor Naumann, who was a most acute ornitho- 

 logist, and had abundant opportunities for investigating 

 the economy of this species in Saxony, denies (Yogel 

 Deutschl., vii., pp. 35-41) that such was the case, except 

 to a very limited extent, which exactly agrees with 

 Lord Lilford's opinion, as previously given (note, p. 6). 

 So also the evidence is somewhat defective as to whether 

 the bustard was resident or migratory. According to 

 Mr. Scales, and a more competent authority there 

 can scarcely be, the cocks annually disappeared at 

 the latter end of spring and beginning of summer. 

 What became of them it is not easy to conjecture, but it 

 seems certain that towards the breeding season they 

 ceased to live in company with the hens, and were, 

 therefore, at any rate, partial migrants. The hen birds 



* A young male of foreign origin, kept in confinement by Lord 

 Lilford, did not acquire its beard until the beginning of April in 

 its second year. 



