I 



OF NOETHTJMBERIAm) AND DTTKHAM. 95 



in this list; it is, in fact, a semi -domesticated, fowl. The 

 Chinese, Japanese, and Bohemian races of this bird have, of 

 late years, been introduced into the district. 



Oeder V. GB^AIAjM, Linnmrs. 



Famht. OTIDID^, BeglmiA. 



96. OTIS, Linnceus. 



1. Geeat Btjstaed. 0. tarda, Linnaus. 



Otis tarda, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, I., 367. 

 „ Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, II., 415. 



A casual visitant. A specimen of the Great Bustard was shot 

 on the 2nd of January, 1871, at Eenham Elats, Holy Island, and 

 came into the possession of Henry Gregson, Esq., Low Lynn. 



A fine female example was shot on the 8th of March, 1854, 

 in a turnip field near Brampton, Cumberland. I saw the speci- 

 men a few days after it was stuffed, and while it was quite soft 

 and flexible, and the legs were unfaded ; the tarsi and toes were 

 greyish, with obscure flesh colour between the scales. This spe- 

 cimen is in the collection at Blenkinsop Castle, the residence of 

 Colonel Coulson. Of course, this individual does not strictly be- 

 long to our district, but it is as well perhaps to record the occur- 

 rence, in an adjoining county, of this interesting bird which is 

 destined, probably, ere long, to cease being even a visitant to the 

 British Islands. 



2. Little Bttstaed. 0. tetkax, Linnceus. 



Otis tetrax, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, I., 371. 

 Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, II., 426. 



A casual visitant. I am informed, by the Eight Honourable 

 the Earl of Bavensworth, that a specimen, in the museum at 

 Eavensworth Castle, of the Little Bustard (which is in the plum- 

 age of the female), was taken at Prestwick Car about the year 

 1820, and that his lordship had it alive for a short time. 



We leam from Selby's '' Illustrations of British Ornithology," 



