GREAT BUSTARD. 421 



year 1817, eight Bustards were seen together, in the shoot- 

 ing season, in a large turnip field, in the parish of South 

 Dalton. Within the last fifteen years they were known to 

 breed on a wold, near Malton, and Mr. Hawkridge sent me 

 word that about fourteen years since one was shot on a 

 wold near Scarborough. 



Early in February, 1843, E. H. Rodd, Esq., of Pen- 

 zance, sent me word that a female of the Great Bustard 

 had been shot only a few days before on an open plain 

 between Helston and the Lizard Point. The bird had 

 been observed for some days in a field of turnips close by. 

 This is considered to be the first instance of the capture of 

 the Great Bustard in Cornwall, and the last recorded 

 instance of its being killed in England. 



Of this bird, in Scotland, Dr. Fleming observes, that it 

 appears to have been found in the days of Boece ; Sibbald, 

 however, seems to view it as rare in his day ; and it is now 

 reduced to the rank of a straggler. One was shot in 1803, 

 in Murrayshire, by William Young, Esq., of Borough-head. 



M. Nilsson says the Great Bustard is of rare appearance 

 in Sweden ; but has been observed in spring. It is found 

 in Russia, and Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology, mentions 

 that it is frequent over all the desert of Tartary, and 

 beyond Lake Baikal. It is a solitary bird, but collects 

 into small flocks at the time of its southern migration, and 

 winters about Astracan. 



In Germany, these birds are numerous, but very difficult 

 to approach; the sportsmen of that country use rifles in 

 the pursuit, and practice as many devices to get within shot 

 as are employed by the Highlanders of Scotland, when 

 stalking red deer. The Bustard is a rare bird in Holland. 



In France, according to M. Vieillot, the Great Bustard, 

 naturally very wild, prefers champaign and stony countries, 



