MK. T. SOUTHWELL ON THE GREAT HUSTARD IN NORFOLK 329 
like to call attention ; and one of these is the season at which the 
birds were seen. Whether the indigenous race was with us 
a regular migrant, as is the case on the Continent, is one of the 
points in the life history of the species which has not been satisfac- 
torily determined ; but that the adult male birds separated themselves 
from the breeding females at the commencement of summer there 
can be no doubt. Mr. Harnond, writing to Selby, states that 
the sexes were never seen together at that time of year; but 
what then became of them was not known, nor was it clearly 
ascertained whether in this country they were polygamous or not. 
At no time were the numbers of the two sexes at all equal, the 
females being, apparently, largely in excess of the males ; I say 
apparently, for the males, until they became fully adult, would 
probably not bo readily distinguished from the females. On 
arriving at maturity, however, they would, from their superior 
size, bo very conspicuous, and for the same reason be more likely 
to be victimised for specimens. About the end of harvest they 
became very scarce; both sexes, however, appeared again in winter 
to feed in the turnip fields. Mr. Harnond, in the letter to Selby 
before quoted, says that he was certain to be able to show the 
latter a Custard in winter, if not in summer. 
Mr. Stevenson, remarking upon the apparent absence of these 
birds from the middle of September to Christinas, which included 
a great part of the shooting season, when they would hardly have 
escaped observation, states that “there is positively no precise 
information respecting the appearance of a Bustard during the 
months of October and November.” Such being the case, the late 
date on which the “drove” was seen by Lord Oxford, namely 
September 20th, becomes of interest. I may add other instances 
of the occurrence of Bustards in September — two mentioned in 
the Holkham game book as killed on the 7th, one. taken in 
a rabbit trap at Elveden on the 27th, and one on Salisbury 
Plain on the 29th of that month. Of the two months during 
which they were supposed to be absent, on October 7th, 1814, 
one was killed at Holkham, and, according to the same authority 
(the Holkham game book), on the 11th of November, 1816, 
“a wild day,” Lord Spencer saw three Bustards — these latter 
occurrences were not known to Mr. Stevenson. 
There are some winter examples which I think must be regarded 
as doubtful natives, especially those subsequent to the year 1838, 
