GREAT BUSTARD. 
277 
they espied me also and rose for flight. The motion 
of their wings frightened my horse, he started back, threw 
me down, and ran away.' Chafin adds that when he 
got up he had a shot at the birds." 
Gilbert White relates ^ on one of his annual journeys 
from Fyfield — under the date November 17th, 1782, — 
" Spent three hours of this day, viz. : from one o'clock till 
four, in the midst of the downs between Andover and 
Winton, where we should have suffered greatly from cold 
and hunger had not the day proved very fine, and had 
we not been opposite to the house of Mr. Tredgold's 
down farm, where we were hospitably entertained by 
the labourer's wife with a cold spare-rib and good bread- 
and-cheese, and ale, while the driver went back to Andover 
to fetch a better horse. During our long conversation 
with the dame, we found that this lone farm-house and its 
buildings, though so sequestered from all neighbourhood, 
and so far removed from all streams and water, are much 
annoyed with Norway rats. The carter told us that 
about twelve years ago he had seen a flock of eighteen 
bustards at one time on that farm, and once since then 
only two. This is the only habitation to be met with 
on these downs between Wherwell and Winchester." 
White also made the remark when, on February 13th, 
1770, he saw bustards on Salisbury Plain, that "when 
seen on the downs they resemble fallow deer at a 
distance." 
The "Hampshire Chronicle" of March 9th, 1795, tells 
us that — " A bustard, or wild turkey, was lately shot at 
Froyle, Hants. It is a very beautiful bird, and measures 
near 7 feet when the wings are extended." 
^ "Gleanings in Natural History." Second Series, by Edward Jesse. 
(Gilbert White's ^NISS.) 
V 
