425 
XX. 
Ecclks July 30 ,h [18401 
nr : Larlinokord. 
My Dear Sir. 
I should have answered your letter ere this time 
but have been a good deal about from home. I think with you 
upon referring to the original document that Spowes must be 
Sparrows abbreviated. With regard to the origin of the term 
Stynt or Stint, I think a strong case as a Lawyer would say, might 
be made on either of your suggestions, but I am rather inclined to 
favor one in preference to the other. I think rather that formerly 
when fen birds appear to have been more generally prized than at 
present, it got its name from being the smallest of a bunch of birds 
brought in by the fowler, Curlews, God wits, Ruffs and Reeves and 
Knots, appear to have been of much value and the smallest of these 
is considerably larger, and as every thing in this world is great or 
small by comparison, I dare say Stint sprung from hence. I was 
very much interested by your account of the Great Bustard. It is 
now so rare in Norfolk that we have not a specimen in our county 
Museum, which has a very fair collection of British Birds. One 
particular bird I have remarked of late years to have decreased in 
numbers wonderfully. The Hooded or Grey Crow used to be 
abundant in winter. I am quite sure there is now scarcely one 
where twenty years ago there were a dozen, and I cannot see any 
reason for this great difference,* seeing that it is worthless to eat, 
and visits us from regions where it is unmolested by Gamekeepers. 
The decrease in wildfowl may be accounted for by improvements 
in gunnery all over the world and the system of taking eggs whole- 
sale as mentioned by Audubon and others. 
Believe me Dear Sir 
[Most sincerely yours 
R D - Lubbock. 
W. Yarrell Esq r - 
Ryder S t: S*-’ -James' : 
London. 
• There must have been some misapprehension here on the part of the 
writer. No one else has observed any such decrease as regards the Grey Crow. 
