GREAT BUSTARD. 441 



satisfied. During the first week that Mr. Bartley had 

 this bird in his possession it was not known to eat any- 

 thing ; however, at length it became very tame, and would 

 at last receive its food from its patron's hands, but still 

 continued shy in the presence of strangers. Its principal 

 food was birds, chiefly sparrows, which it swallowed whole 

 in the feathers with a great deal of avidity. The flowers 

 of charlock and the leaves of rape formed also other parts 

 of its food. Mice it would likewise eat, and in short 

 almost any other animal substance. The food on passing 

 into the stomach was observed to go round the back part 

 of the neck. 



"Mr. Bartley is of opinion that the idea of the Bustard's 

 drinking is erroneous ; in support of which he says, that 

 during the time this Bustard was in his possession, which 

 was from June till the August following, it had not a drop 

 of water given it, after two or three weeks at first. This 

 fact he considers as a proof that the generally-received 

 opinion of a Bustard's drinking is untrue. 



" This bird was judged to weigh upwards of 20 Ibs., and 

 to measure between the extremities of its wings when ex- 

 tended about 5 feet, and its height was about 3J- feet. Its 

 plumage was beautiful ; and from its gait, which was ex- 

 tremely majestic, a spectator would be led to infer that 

 it was sensible of its own superiority over others of the 

 feathered tribe. 



"In August Mr. Bartley sold this noble bird to Lord 

 Temple for the sum of thirty guineas. 



" The Bustard inhabits the extensive downs of Salisbury 

 Plain ; but its race is now almost extirpated. It is thought 

 that not more than three or four are now remaining. Some 

 time in the last summer (viz. 1801), while Mr. Bartley had 

 this bird in his possession, a nest, supposed to belong to this 

 bird, or at least to his mate, for Mr. Bartley's bird was 



