Great Bustard. 349 



fare, and the prices of wild fowl which have come down to us, and 

 several of which are reproduced by Mr. Howard Saunders in the. 

 new edition of Yarrell. No species of game, however, in the. 

 sixteenth century seems to have been so highly esteemed and to, 

 have fetched a larger price than the Bustard, for the sum of ten 

 shillings at which it was valued represents a very high figure, if 

 we take into account the comparative value of money at that 

 period ; but, indeed, at the present day, the price of a Batarda, in 

 the market of Lisbon is generally equivalent to about two, 

 pounds, which will not be thought excessive, even in a country 

 where the bird is common, when we consider that it weighs. 

 SO lb., and that the meat, as I know by experience, is 

 excellent. So early as in 1534 (25 Henry VIII.) it was found 

 necessary to protect its eggs by law, ' upon paine of imprisonment, 

 for one yeare, and to lose and forfeit for every egge of any 

 Bustarde so taken or distroid xx pence, the one moitie thereof 

 to be to the King our Soveraigne lorde, and the other halfe to. 

 him that will sue for the same in forme aforesaide.'* Now to find 

 and take the egg of so large and conspicuous a bird was easy 

 enough for any idle fellow, but it must have required both skill 

 and patience to capture, even with the crossbow, so wild and sa 

 wary a bird, frequenting such open spots, where it was difficult ta 

 stalk them, and always on the alert for any surprise. Again, in 

 1712, an advertisement appeared in the Spectator announcing in 

 the market the seat of a deceased baronet, containing, in addition, 

 to fish-ponds, canals, etc., ' woods of large timber, wherein is gama 

 in great plenty, even to the Bustard and Pheasant.' And again, I 

 have now before me an autograph letter of the Duke of North^ 

 umberland, bearing date May 10th, 1753, addressed to Michael 

 Ewen, Esq., of Milton Lislebon, on the verge of Salisbury Plain, 

 thanking him very heartily for a fine Bustard he had sent him, 

 proving the bird at that date to be sufficiently rare to be sent as a 

 present to a nobleman. 



But Wiltshire was always allowed to be the stronghold of the. 

 Great Bustard, and our wide downs/and especially Salisbury Plain, 



Zoologist for 1886, p. 84. 



