CHAPTER XIII 



GREAT BUSTARD BITTERN RUFF MONTAGU'S 

 HARRIER HEN-HARRIER SHORT-EARED OWL. 



NORFOLK is one of the best counties in England 

 from the field naturalist's point of view ; and con- 

 sidering that about three hundred different species 

 of birds have been observed there during the present 

 century, no lack of bird-life is wanting. Of late 

 years, however, owing to the reclamation of marsh 

 lands, numbers of the rarer species have ceased to 

 breed, while others are even extinct. 



The Great Bustard, of which we read of " droves " 

 once being seen on the large heaths, is now only a 

 very rare visitor, one or two only being seen at 

 intervals of several years. The Bitterns which 

 used to haunt the large reed-beds, and rear their 

 young in them, now no longer breed there, and 



their loud " boom " is therefore but seldom heard. 



261 



