728 MR. E. J. H. ELDRED ON THE GREAT BUSTARD. 
of about 12 feet with movable wire net work, to enable me to 
change the ground from time to time, also a shelter house, 
the whole facing South and protected from North and East 
by a high wall ; into this they were released from their 
travelling case immediately on arrival and in a few days 
appeared to have quite recovered from the fatigue and close 
confinement of their long journey, enjoying the warm 
sunshine, and a dust bath, the weather fortunately con- 
tinuing fine and warm for some weeks after they were received. 
They remained in the open at night until early in October, 
when heavy rains setting in, I thought it advisable to house 
them in the evening, as they would not of their own accord 
take advantage of the shelter provided, and have continued 
to shut them up at dusk, being fearful as they got stronger 
they might if frightened hurt themselves against the wire 
work in the dark. As it was desirable to keep them quite 
tame and accustom them to surrounding sights and sounds, 
they were placed in as small a space as possible consistent 
with their health. 
They are fed principally on Spratt’s Poultry Meal with 
a little grissel or greaves, barley meal occasionally, turnip 
tops, cabbages, lettuces (all green food they eat greedily), 
bullock’s liver chopped small, and worms ; but a piece of raw 
meat cut up in little bits is their favourite morsel and they 
will run to meet us eagerly to obtain it. They will take a small 
Mouse, but appear to refuse Toads and Frogs, as I found 
a small Toad in their run of which they took no notice, and 
a small Frog offered was refused, but they search for and 
pick up a good many insects, 
The male bird has a curious way of swallowing food, on 
giving him a ball of barley meal or piece of bread it will be 
observed to pass into the throat in the usual way, but when 
half way down the neck it passes quite to the back before 
entering the stomach. I have seen a notice of this before, 
but where or when I cannot recall to mind ; plenty of coarse 
grit is given and the run and house kept scrupulously clean. 
They drink occasionally but not regularly. They all take food 
freely from the hand, in fact so confiding are the hens that 
