2474 The Zoologist — February, 1871. 



plover, Sac— J. Watson, jun.; 9, Seymour Terrace, Gateshead, 

 January 16, 1871. 



In Devonshire. — I have this morning received a note from Barn- 

 staple, North Devon, stating that two great bustards were killed, 

 and one severely wounded, out of a flock of seven, at Braunton 

 Burrows, last week, and that the hats of the children in the neigh- 

 bourhood were ornamented with their feathers ; so I much fear they 

 cannot have been preserved. The wounded bird is supposed to be 

 concealed in the neighbourhood, but the remainder of the flock 

 made off. There can be no doubt of the species, as a beautiful 

 feather from the back of one of the birds was inclosed in my noter 

 1 had the honour of noticing the capture of the last great bustard 

 in Devonshire, on the 31st of December, 1851, I thought it better 

 to send you an account of so interesting and rare an occurrence at 

 once, but will endeavour to send further particulars as soon as 

 possible. — J. Galcombe ; 8, Louer Durnjonl Street, Stonehouse, 

 Devon, January C, 1871. 



Postscript. — In my note a short time since on the occurrence of 

 great bustards in North Devon I promised (if possible) to send you 

 further particulars concerning them, and a ^aw days afterwards my 

 friend the Rev. W. S. Horc, living at Barnstaple, who sent mc the 

 first intimation of their appearance, kindly invited me to his house, 

 so that I might see the two birds which had been killed and visit 

 the locality in which they were obtained. This I did, and was 

 much surprised and pleased to find that Mr. Rowe had managed 

 to make such cai)ital specimens of them, notwithstanding their 

 plumage had been so maltreated by the country people, and I must 

 add great praise is due to his skill. At Braunton we ascertained 

 that the flock consisted of eight when first observed, and that they 

 alighted in a field at Croyde, where one was killed by Mr. William 

 Quick and another shot, and one wounded by Mr. Wells near 

 Braunton. The remainder of the flock then alighted near some 

 boys who were sliding close to (or alm.ost in) the town of Braunton, 

 who pelted them with stones, upon which the birds flew off, and 

 have not since been seen or heard of. The two killed weighed 

 upwards of nine pounds each. Their sex unfortunately was 

 not ascertained when opened, but, judging from their appearance, 

 I should say they were male and female, and young birds of the 

 year. The flesh of one, if not both, was eaten, and said to have 

 proved excellent, but considered to resemble various kinds of meat, 



