Great Bustard. 353 



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 in 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 bird 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 the Bustard's drinking is untrue. This bird 

 was judged to weigh upwards of twenty pounds, and to measure 

 between the extremities of its wings when extended about five 

 feet, and its height was about three and a half feet. Its plumage 

 was beautiful, and from its gait, which was extremely 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 its mate, for Mr. Bartley 's bird was judged to be a male was 

 found in a wheat-field on Market Lavington Down. It contained 

 two eggs ; they sometimes lay three, though very seldom : they 

 are about the size of those of a goose, of a pale olive-brown, with 

 small spots of a darker hue. The nest was made upon the 

 ground by scratching a hole in the earth, and lined with a little 

 grass. The eggs Avere rotten, and had probably undergone a 

 period of incubation. 



' An instance of a Bustard attacking a human being, or even a 

 brute animal of any considerable size, was, I believe, never before 

 heard of, and that two instances of this kind should occur so 

 nearly together may be considered very remarkable. About a 



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