340 THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMPTONSSIRE 



ground in a closely packed circle with their heads 

 outwards. 



I have never seen any of the Eagles or other birds 

 of prey attack the Great Bustard ; but Bonelli's 

 Eagle, Psendaetus honelli, occasionally does so, and 

 on the downs they are open to the nocturnal on- 

 slaughts of foxes, wild cats, and other predatory 

 beasts. 



A great many Bustards are killed in Spain at 

 night with the assistance of a horse, a bell, and a 

 lantern : the gunner, having discovered a roosting- 

 spot, selects a dark night and advances by the side 

 of his horse, w^ith a confederate on the other side 

 occasionally tinkling the bell and throwing a gleam 

 forward from the lantern; as soon as the gunner 

 perceives the grey heads of the birds he pours in his 

 fire, and we have seen eight grand old male Bustards 

 brought into Seville as the result of two shots 

 delivered in this murderous fashion. The flesh of 

 the old male Bustard is tough and coarse, but very 

 good soup can be made from it, whilst the females 

 and young birds are very excellent eating, but 

 the Spaniards do not seem to care for them much 

 as food, and their m.arket price in Seville can hardly 

 remunerate the professional shooters for their time 

 and trouble. Some few gentlemen of the English 

 colony at Jerez de la Frontera have bagged Bustards 

 by stalking and shooting them mth a rifle, and this 

 is no doubt the really most artistic and sporting way 

 by wiiich to attack them, but the only method that I 

 have employed is driving, or rather having the birds 

 driven, and although there is of course but very little 

 art required in bringing down a Bustard at a fair 

 distance, a considerable amount of skill and know- 



