[APPENDIX B.] BIRDS OP NORFOLK. 407 



was supposed to be inside it, but she was not visible. 

 The weather again changed : in the evening it blew a 

 gale, and rained in torrents. On the 15th the snow had 

 all gone, but the rain continued. The hen bustard was 

 reported missing, and on search being made she was 

 found dead in one of the ditches, having apparently 

 crept for shelter into the grass by its side. On hearing 

 of this disaster Lord Lilford liberally despatched a 

 second female, which arrived on the 21st, but the 

 weather was so bad that Mr. Upcher was afraid to turn 

 her loose, and left her in the hut with a hurdle across 

 the front. The cock bird was then on the ground, and 

 seemed to have become accustomed to the presence of 

 man. The next day, seeing him not very far from the 

 hut the keeper went to liberate the hen ; but, while so 

 engaged, the cock unfortunately took wing. He re- 

 turned in the evening, but settled on another piece of 

 ground, where he was observed on the 23rd ; but in the 

 afternoon he was seen flying towards Brandon, and he 

 never again, so far as is known, returned to Hockwold. 

 On the 24th he was seen at Eriswell, and on the 25th 

 at Elveden, after which nothing was heard of him, 

 though enquiries were made in all the surrounding 

 districts by Mr. Upcher, who was at much trouble to 

 ensure his neighbours taking an interest in the bird, 

 and to him and to Lord Lilford the thanks of all true 

 naturalists are due.* The story of this unparalleled 

 incident, which but for the unfavourable weather might 

 have been followed by a very different result, here 

 briefly told, will be found more fully narrated by Mr. 

 Upcher in "The Field " of 8th April, 1876, whence it 

 has been reprinted by Mr. Stevenson ("Trans, of the 

 Norfolk and Norwich IS at. Soc.," ii., pp. 307-311), and 

 by Mr. Harting in his " Essays on Sport and Natural 

 History" (pp. 332-340). 



Glareola torquata, PRATINCOLE. The extraordinary 

 statement attributed to Hoy that this species bred an- 



* Lord Lilford announced in the newspapers his willingness, 

 in case of the appearance of the bird in any other part of the 

 country suitable for the propagation of his species, and an assurance 

 of good faith from the owner of the locality, to forward at once 

 one or more hen bustards by way of inducing him to settle there. 



