MR. E. J. H. ELDRED ON THE GREAT BUSTARD. 
727 
VII. 
THE GREAT BUSTARD. 
Observations and Remarks on some in Captivity and 
Attempt to Domesticate them. 
By E. J. H. Ei.dred. 
Read 26 th January, 1909. 
I have the gratification of placing before the meeting this 
evening a few observations on the Great Bustard in captivity; 
but would just like to preface these notes with a brief account 
as to how the birds came into my possession. 
In the course of conversation some time ago with Mr. D. 
Scott Bayfield of Great \ armouth on the attempt made in 
1900 to reintroduce the birds in East Anglia, the failure of 
which we all so much deplore, he remarked that he could 
procure some if I would undertake the care of them ; such 
an offer I readily accepted being then about to retire from 
official duties and would have the leisure to look after them. 
In due course Mr. Bayfield obtained through his friend 
Mr. Banks Thompson of London and Xeres from the latter’s 
estate in Spain five young birds which were shipped from 
Cadiz on 29th August, 1907. Unfortunately two died on the 
voyage, but three survivors reached me safely at Coltishall 
on the afternoon of September 12th. 
I thus had through the generous action of these gentlemen, 
Mr. Bayfield in particular, who has taken so great an interest 
in the matter, a long cherished but very little expected 
opportunity of making an attempt at the domestication of 
this fine species, and the pleasure of the undertaking was 
enhanced by the fact that it could be tried in the County 
so closely associated with its history and in which the last 
of the indigenous British race existed. * 
I had prepared for their reception a run of about 8 feet 
wide and 30 feet long, with an additional space at an angle 
