212 



The Bustard. 



THE BUSTARD (Vol. L, p. 54). 



Many years ago, I should say in or about the year 1785 or 6, I often heard 



conversations amongst the farmers who visited my relations at L , about the 



scarcity of bustards on the Downs, which they attributed to the heath, &c, 

 being broken up and converted to tillage, and to the corn being weeded in the 

 spring, whereby the birds were disturbed and prevented making their nests. 

 About that time I was riding in company with my uncle, from his residence to 

 Devizes, and after passing a place called Chitterne Barn, he drew my attention 

 to some large birds nearly a half mile off, standing on a hill on the Down about 

 the same distance from Tilshead Lodge (then called Tilshead Buildings), he 

 told me they were bustards, and he proposed that we should get as near them as 

 we could in order to ascertain the fact whether they ran so fast as had been 

 reported because they could not easily take wing. We accordingly proceeded 

 by the valleys in the Down, concealing ourselves as much as possible by leaning 

 over the necks of our horses until we got within about 200 yards of them, when 

 we suddenly ascended the hill on which they were standing and riding pretty 

 fast got within 100 yards of them, but to our disappointment they made but a 

 few springs and were on the wing, flew away and we saw no more of them. 



At another time within a year afterwards, I was again accompanying him 

 and a relation of ours in a one-horse-chaise to Devizes, and whilst we were 

 within the banks of the road, about a quarter of a mile from Chitterne Barn, 

 two bustards flew over our heads within gun shot, and I could distinctly see the 

 colour of their plumage. 



About the year 1792, a traveller passing over the Downs between Devizes and 

 Salisbury, came upon a bustard which started up and tumbled about as if 

 wounded and unable to rise, he rode after it a little way, but the bird gained 

 upon him and he returned to the road ; in so doing, he found a young bustard 

 in a wheel-track, which he caught and took to Salisbury, and gave it to 

 Mrs. Steedman of the Red Lion Inn there. This bird I frequently saw and handled. 

 It was very tame, and within three months after it was there it could eat off 

 the table in the bar. Mrs. Steedman told me she was offered, but refused, ten 

 guineas for the bird. The party wishing to get it for Lord Temple, then living 

 near Winchester, who it was said had another bustard. Mrs. Steedman soon 

 afterwards lost the bird, by a pointer getting into her parlour and killing it. 



In 1802, a^female bustard was shot by a shepherd, in the neighbourhood of 

 Durrington. He gave it to Mr. Moore of Durrington, who had a painting made 

 of it by Mr. Dudman, an artist staying at the place. The painting is in the 

 possession of his son, George Pearce Moore, Esq. 



J. S. 



