LITTLE BUSTARD. 43 



I have any evidence is a bird in the collection of Lord 

 Sondes, at Elmham Hall, which, as his Lordship has 

 kindly informed me, was shot by his gamekeeper on 

 some fenny land at Elmham, about the year 1822 or 

 1823. It is in full winter plumage, but the sex was 

 not noted at the time. 



Next, probably, in order of date are the two supposed 

 females (Nos. 185 a and 185 b) in the Norwich museum, 

 of which the first, as shown by the donation book, was 

 presented by Mr. William Primrose in 1847. This one 

 is stated to have been killed at Trunch, but although 

 the exact period of its capture is unknown, it is most 

 likely, from its being already stuffed and " cased up" 

 when placed in the museum, that it was procured some 

 time prior to that event. The second, presented by the 

 late Mr. Sparshall, in 1843, was shot in a turnip field 

 at Hellesdon, near Norwich; in 1835, according to an 

 entry in the donation book, but in Mr. Lombe's* MS. 

 notes the date of this specimen is given as December 

 3rd, 1833, which I have reason to believe is the more 

 correct. Mr. Gurney remembers this bird in the posses- 

 sion of Mr. Sparshall, for some years before it was 

 deposited in the museum collection. 



About the year 1836, as recorded in Mr. Dowell's 

 note book, a Little Bustard was killed at Morston, near 

 Blakeney, by Mr. Wood, which is said to have been 

 presented to the British museum ; and, in reply to my 

 enquiries, Mr. W. G. Wood, jun., furnished me with the 

 following additional particulars : " It was shot by my 

 father more than thirty years ago. I think it was a female. 

 Major Loftus had it, as he then hired both the Stiffkey 

 and Morston shooting; it was killed in autumn." I have 



* There are two fine specimens, male and female, in Mr. Lombe's 

 collection, but no record exists as to the localities from whence he 

 obtained them. 

 G 2 



