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XIV. 
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND OBSEEVATIONS. 
XoTE ON Eggs of the Great Bustard. While the progress 
of civilisation has during the last century done a great deal towards 
lessening the number of species of birds breeding in the British 
Isles, the ornithologist may fairly hope that the protection afforded 
by the legislature of the last few years may gradually restore to the 
country, as breeders, some of the species that were formerly 
indigenous. We know that for the last four or five years the 
Black Tern has nested in Lincolnshire. The Euffs and Beeves have 
been seen during the breeding season in our county within the 
same period ; and a nest with eggs has been found this year. The 
Short-eared Owl, formerly of frecpient occurrence in the Fens, 
has again nested; and certainly one out of the three species of 
Harriers that were resident in this county has nested here again, 
though unfortunately it was not allowed to do so in peace last year. 
Savi’s Warbler may perchance visit us, and find a safe retreat in 
some of the Beed-beds of the Broads, but the Avocet is far too 
conspicuous a bird, and nests in situations too exposed to stand 
much chance of escaping the wiles of collectors and dealers, should 
it try to re-establish itself in the haunts which it frequented for 
nesting purposes in the early decades of this century. Thanks to 
careful protection, the re-introduced Capercaillie has increased, and 
extended its range ; so that now, for the first time for many hundreds 
of years, it may be numbered as an English as well as a Scotch 
resident : but the Crane, after a lapse of three centuries, is not 
again likely to be numbered among the breeding birds. 
The Great Bustard is too conspicuous, from its size, to escape 
molestation for any length of time ; and it could oidy nest again 
under circumstances so excejitional, that no one could expect them 
to occur. Eor this reason, to the collector of British-taken eggs^ 
that of the Great Bustard is of especial value ; and it is therefore 
of interest to record the change of ownership of any of the very 
limited number of authenticated British specimens. 
