2476 The Zoologist — February, 1871. 



morning and on the next day : both of these were preserved by 

 Mr. Rowe, the gunmaker, at Barnstaple, from whom I received 

 these particulars. I have been fortunate enough to obtain one of 

 these birds; it is, 1 should think, a young bird of the year, as 

 I have seen larger specimens : its weight, mentioned above, would 

 also lead to the same conclusion. A few of the tail-feathers have 

 been plucked out, probably for the purpose of ornamenting the 

 Sunday hats of the young ladies of Brannton and Croyde ; with 

 that exception, it is a very good, clean, brightly marked specimen. 

 As I was not lucky enough to see the bird in the flesh, I could not 

 note the colour of the eyes and other soft parts. The breast-bone, 

 which I was fortunate enough to obtain, measures 7 inches 3 lines 

 in length, including the carenoids, and 2^ inches in breadth ; depth 

 of heel not quite 2 inches. In these it resembles the sternum of the 

 plovers much more than that of any of the Rasorial order of birds, 

 with which the great bustard is classed. The tarsus is 4 inches 

 8 lines, and the middle toe 2 inches 1 line. One more bird out of 

 the flock is supposed to have been killed and eaten, as no trace of 

 it is to be found. The four which remain alive, probably not 

 liking their rough usage at Braunton, have made themselves 

 scarce, at least no more has been heard of them up to the 13th of 

 January, Though we may regret this attack on these birds as soon 

 as they made their appearance on our shores, we cannot be much 

 surprised at it when we look at their great size and conspicuous 

 plumage. Seeing how soon these birds were attacked and how 

 they were followed up, there does not appear to be the slightest 

 chance of our ever again numbering the great bustard amongst 

 our resident British birds. A few wanderers from the Con- 

 tinent may from time to time make their appearance, but there 

 can be no reasonable hope of their being allowed to remain to 

 breed : the number of guns about almost everywhere, in spite of the 

 gun tax, would in itself be almost sufl^cient to prevent their 

 remaining in any quantities, but high farming, horse-hoes, drills 

 and reaping machines are more formidable enemies to the great 

 bustard than even breech-loaders. In the days of flint and steel 

 guns, broad-cast sowing and much wild uncultivated land, he 

 might have had a chance, but 



" Nature brings not back the mastodon, 

 Nor we those days." 



Cecil Smith ; Lydeard House, near Taunton. 



