BUSTARDS 



immediately in front of the horse, which it soon showed 

 signs of attacking, and in a few seconds began the 

 onset. The rider dismounted with all speed, and, 

 getting hold of the bustard, endeavoured to secure it, 

 in which, after a long and severe struggle, he suc- 

 ceeded, and carried it to the house of the person to 

 whom he was going, where it was confined. During 

 the first week it was not known to eat anything ; but 

 finally it became very tame, and would take food from 

 the hands of those accustomed to feed it, though it 

 still continued shy in the presence of strangers. From 

 the time of its capture in June, till August, when it was 

 sold to a nobleman for twenty-one guineas, it was never 

 seen to drink ; indeed, after the first three weeks, water 

 was never given to it." If this account is reliable 

 and Bishop Stanley was usually careful of his facts 

 the attack of this bustard may possibly be attributable 

 to its having a nesting mate somewhere in the vicinity, 

 or to its being a hen bird with young somewhere near. 

 At that period bustards still bred in England. It is 

 worthy of remark that Tilshead, where this rencontre 

 happened, was in former days a very noted resort of 

 these splendid birds. Colonel Montagu wrote in 1802 

 that young birds were frequently taken by shepherds' 

 dogs in the neighbourhood before they were capable 

 of flight, and bustard eggs were eagerly sought after 

 for the purpose of hatching under hens. Half a guinea 

 was no unusual price for an egg, and ten or twelve 

 guineas were paid for a pair of young birds not full 

 grown. Montagu remarks that the consequences of 

 this practice, which seems to have been largely adopted 

 in more than one instance, would be the total extinction 

 of these birds in a few years' time. He was, needless 

 to say, a true prophet. It would seem that these young 

 bustards were treated as domesticated poultry and kept 

 i 113 



