Little Bustard (1/2)

Otididae

Dec 1

Tetrax tetrax (Linnaeus, 1758) (171, 5)

STATUS

Western Palearctic. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

Many of these records refer to the specific racial identity, but since 2009 the species has been determined as monotypic.

Dispersal from the breeding grounds takes place from mid-September through to December, with returning individuals arriving from March to the third week of April.

Some of the records have been 'pieced' together with confusing details from various sources, and if you were super critical they leave a lot to be desired.

RECORDS

1). 1751 Cornwall No locality, shot, undated.

(G. Edwards, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 48: 499-503; Pennant, 1766; Harting, 1880; Seebohm, 1883-85; Saunders, 1899; Gurney, 1921; Penhallurick, 1978).

History G. Edwards (1754) in the Ornithological Transactions, Vol. XLVIII. pp. 502-503, under 'A Letter to Mr. Peter Collinson, F.R.S. concerning the Pheasant of Pensylvania, and the Otis minor', says: 'The coloured print, Plate XVI represents the Otis minor, anas campestris, canne petiere, the field duck, which was taken in the west of England, and laid before the Royal Society about three years ago: And as there happened to be no gentleman present, who knew the bird, Mr. Hauksbee, by order of the society, sent the porter with it to me, to desire I would communicate to the society what I knew of it. I, according to the society's request, gave in what account of it I could collect from ornithologists, having never seen the bird till then; which account was favoured with a reading before the Society.

I find figures of it in the following authors on animals; viz. Bellon, Gesner, Aldrovand, Willoughby, Johnson, and others; but as their figures are small, and the late authors have only copied the more antient, and none of them are drawn with the correctness one would with, none of them expressing the lighter, darker, and spotted parts, which are remarkable, and add to the beauty of the draught; I have essayed to make a more perfect figure than has hitherto appeared in print of this bird.

I have done it on a larger scale than what has gone before it, which has given me the better opportunity of expressing its different shades and spots, which are blended throughout it feathering, which could not have been done on a smaller scale. The descriptions of this bird, under the various names here given, with little variation, may be found, with the figures, in the several authors above-mentioned. I think the modern authors agree, that this bird was unknown to the antients.'

Harting, Editor (1880) in Rodd's Birds of Cornwall, says: 'The first recorded Cornish specimen of the Little Bustard is probably that mentioned by Pennant, in his British Zoology, as having been shot in Cornwall, 1751.'

Seebohm (1884 (2): 587) says: 'The Little Bustard was first described as a British bird from a female taken in the county of Cornwall, and exhibited at a meeting of the Royal Society of London in 1751; but as there did not happen to be a Fellow of the Society then present who was able to identify the bird, the Secretary sent it to Edwards, who figured and described it in his Gleanings of Natural History, p. 89, pl. 251. Edwards's plate is dated 1754, but his book was not published until 1758, although a paper on the occurrence of this bird in England appeared in the Philosophical Transactions for 1754.'

Gurney (1921: 229) in Early Annals of Ornithology lists this as the first for Britain.

Accepted locally (Penhallurick 1978: 126-127).

2). Pre 1797 Cambridgeshire/Suffolk Newmarket Heath, female, caught and kept alive for several weeks, undated, now at Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

(Bewick, 1797-1804; L. Jenyns, Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 2: 311; Selby, 1833; Yarrell, 1871-85; Babington, 1884-86; Howse, 1899; Ticehurst, 1932; Lack, 1934; Payn, 1978; Bircham, 1989).

History Bewick (1797 (1): 318-319) says: 'Length only seventeen inches: The bill is pale brown; eyes red; the top of the head is black, spotted with pale rust colour; the sides of the head, chin, and throat, are of a reddish white, marked with a few dark spots; the whole neck is black, encircled with an irregular band of white near the top and bottom; the back and wings are rust colour, mottled with brown, and crossed with fine irregular black lines; the under parts of the body, and outer edges of the wings are white; the tail consists of eighteen feathers - the middle ones are tawny, barred with black, the others are white, marked with a few irregular bands of black; the legs are grey. The female is smaller, and wants the black collar on its neck; in other respects she nearly resembles the male.

This bird is very uncommon in this country; we have seen only two of them, both of which were females: Our figure was taken from one sent us by W. Trevelyan, Esq. which was taken on the edge of Newmarket Heath, and kept alive about three weeks, in a kitchen, where it was fed with bread, and other things, such as poultry eat.'

L. Jenyns (1827) in the Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Vol. II. p. 311, says: 'Bewick has figured a specimen of this bird which was taken alive on the edge of Newmarket Heath. So far as I am aware no other instance has occurred of its having been met with in this county.'

Selby (1833 (1): 447) says: 'This is a bird of a very handsome plumage, and must be considered one of our rarest visitants. Recurring only to the product of later years, two specimens are mentioned by Bewick, as having fallen under his inspection, one of which, now in the collection of John Trevelyan, Esq. of Wallington, was taken alive upon Newmarket Heath, and survived for a very few weeks in confinement.'

Howard Saunders (1882-84 (3): 217, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds, says: 'Bewick mentions two British-killed female specimens: one of them from the vicinity of Newmarket.'

Babington (1884-86: 114) adds: '...sent to Bewick...and the figure in his book was drawn from it (Bewick's B. B., I. 319, Ed. 1797); it is in winter plumage (J. H. Gurney, jun., in litt.).'

Howse (1899: 68) in his Index-Catalogue of the Birds in the Hancock Collection, says: 'Case 3. No. 1 (centre). Female. Shot on Newmarket Heath. Presented by Sir Walter C. Trevelyan, Bart., July, 1874. From Old Museum Collection.'

Accepted locally for Suffolk (Ticehurst 1932; Payn 1978, 2nd ed.) and for Cambridgeshire (Lack 1934; Bircham 1989).

3). 1797 Derbyshire Etwall Common, female, shot, undated, now at Rolleston Museum.

(Mosley, 1863; McAldowie, 1893; Whitlock, 1893; Frost, 1978).

History Mosley (1863: 52) says: 'A rare straggler, which for some years afterwards puzzled our provincial ornithologists, fell to the gun of my late uncle, Ashton Nicholas Mosley, Esq., on Etwall Common in 1797. It was at length ascertained to be a female of the Lesser Bustard, and is now deposited in the Burton Museum. It is a singular fact, I believe, that although several specimens of the female have been killed from time to time in various parts of the kingdom, no male bird has been met with at large; they do not appear to accompany the other sex in their migrations from the Continent.'

Further, p. 104, he adds: 'Little Bustard. A fine specimen of this species was shot many years ago on Egginton Heath, and is now deposited in the Burton Museum.'

McAldowie (1893: 122) says: 'Shot by Ashton Nicholas Mosley on Etwall Common on the borders of Staffordshire and Derbyshire in 1797, and now in the Rolleston Museum.'

Whitlock (1893: 195) says: 'Sir Oswald Mosley relates that his late uncle, Ashton Nicholas Mosley, Esq., shot a female example in 1797, on Etwall Common. The specimen remained for some years in the Burton Museum (Natural History of Tutbury, etc.). It is now in the collection of Sir Oswald Mosley, the present baronet at Rolleston Hall.'

4). 1804 Suffolk Near Bungay, female, shot, November.

(R. Sheppard & W. Whitear, Transactions of the Linnean Society 15: 36; Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History R. Sheppard & W. Whitear (1826) in the Transactions of the Linnean Society, Vol. XV. p. 36, say: 'We have been informed by John Cooper, Esq. of Bungay, that a female Little Bustard was killed near that town in November 1804.'

Accepted locally (Babington 1884-86: 114; Ticehurst 1932: 327).

Comment Sounds like a hearsay record!

5). 1804 Devon Torrington, female, shot, December.

(Montagu, 1813; E. Moore, Transactions of the Plymouth Institution 1830: 320; E. Moore, Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History 1: 319; C. Prideaux, Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History 4: 47; Newman, 1866; D'Urban & Mathew, 1892; Penhallurick, 1978).

History Montagu (1813) says: 'To these another female may be added, that is now in our museum. This was shot near Torrington, Devon in December, 1804, and was taken to Plymouth market, where it was sold for a female Black Grouse, but fortunately fell into the hands of Mr. Prideaux, a gentleman who, knowing it to be a rarity, snatched it from the all-devouring jaw of the epicure, for the purpose of placing it in its present situation.

As this is the only fresh specimen that ever came under our examination, a more particular description than what we were before enabled to give may not be unacceptable. The weight was twenty-five ounces; length sixteen inches and a half; breadth thirty-five. Bill dusky brown; irides pale crimson; behind the eye a space bare of feathers; upper part of the head, hind neck, and whole upper parts, including the smaller coverts of the wings, are a mixture of pale ferruginous and black, disposed on each feather in lines and bars, in a most elegant manner; the row of coverts immediately impending the tail white, with transverse black bars, the tips white; on the fore part of the neck the markings are more distinct, and the ferruginous occupies the middle of each feather; but towards the breast the markings change, and the black becomes undulated in distinct transverse lines on that part, continuing the same down the sides; the cheeks streaked with dusky; the throat is plain yellowish white; belly, vent, and thighs white; sides of the under tail-coverts barred with black; the four first quill-feathers dusky half way from their tips, their base white; the six next white, except a large black spot at their tips, and a very small black mark on their shafts; the eleven following white, with two or three black bars on each, most on the outer webs, and a small spot of the same at their tips; the tertials next to the body are similar in colour and markings to the back and scapulars, and nearly as long as the prime quills; the coverts of the secondary quills white, barred with black; the tail consists of eighteen white feathers closely spotted with irregular small markings of black, with three conspicuous bars of the same; the light part of the four middle feathers inclines to ferruginous; at the base of all the white predominates; legs yellowish brown and scaly; the toes dusky brown, connected together at the base by a small membrane; claws of the same colour. Along the back of the neck is a considerable space bare of feathers, but covered with down; on the breast the down at the base of the feathers is of a pale rose-colour.

This appeared to be a young bird, yet the ovaries were sufficiently conspicuous. There was nothing remarkable in the trachea, but the stomach (which had nothing of the nature of that of granivorous birds) was of a most unusual size, distended by various herbs, reaching from the gullet to the vent. Nothing but vegetables were observed, and of that a great variety, but particularly some species of trefoil. From this conformation of the stomach, we may conclude the bird to be wholly graminivorous.'

Edward Moore of Plymouth (1830) in the Transactions of the Plymouth Institution, Vol. I. p. 320, says: 'Montagu speaks of one being shot in December, 1804, and taken to Plymouth market, where it was sold as a heath fowl.'

Edward Moore of Plymouth (1837) in Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History, Vol. I. p. 319, dated May, 1837, says: 'Montagu speaks of one being shot in December, 1804, and taken to Plymouth market, where it was sold as a heath fowl.'

Charles Prideaux of Kingsbridge (1840) in Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History, Vol. IV. p. 47, dated 22nd November, 1839, says: '...it is rather singular, that in the other instance the bird was bought in Plymouth market in 1804 by my brother, Wm. Prideaux, and presented to the late Col. Montagu, and is now in the British Museum; it was killed in the north of Devon.'

6). 1810 Hampshire Broadlands Estate, female, shot, September.

(Eyton, 1836; Wise, 1863; Kelsall & Munn, 1905; Clark & Eyre, 1993).

History Eyton (1836: 99) says: 'Lord Malmesbury informs us, that he has in his possession a female specimen, killed near his seat, Heron Court, Hampshire.'

Wise (1863: 315, 1st ed.) says: 'A female was shot some years ago near Heron Court; and is in Lord Malmesbury's collection.'

Kelsall & Munn (1905: 279) say: 'A female, now in the Earl of Malmesbury's collection at Heron Court, was shot by Lord Palmerston at Broadlands, in September, 1810: - "It was in a turnip field; it rose and pitched again, flying heavily, and had a strong and most remarkably unpleasant smell when killed (Lord Malmesbury's MSS. Notes)".'

Comment There was only one female in Lord Malmesbury's collection, so in all probability it is assumed that all these notices refer to the same individual.

7). 1810 Devon No locality, seen, mid-October.

(Montagu, 1813; E. Moore, Transactions of the Plymouth Institution 1830: 320; E. Moore, Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History 1: 319; Newman, 1866; D'Urban & Mathew, 1892).

History Montagu (1813) says: 'In the middle of October, 1810, we observed one of these birds in a turnip field, in Devonshire, but it would not suffer us to approach near enough to shoot it, but it appeared in feminine plumage.'

Edward Moore of Plymouth (1830) in the Transactions of the Plymouth Institution, Vol. I. p. 320, says: 'He [Montagu] saw one in a turnip field in October, 1810, in Devonshire.'

Edward Moore of Plymouth (1837) in Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History, Vol. I. p. 319, dated May, 1837, says: 'He [Montagu] saw one in a turnip field in October, 1810, in Devonshire.'

8). 1814-15 Yorkshire Flamborough, two, one shot, winter.

(Allis, 1844; Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History Clarke & Roebuck (1881: 69) say: 'The localities from which it has been reported are: - Flamborough, two in the winter of 1814-15.'

Nelson (1907 (2): 557-558) says: 'The first recorded Yorkshire specimens of this bird are those referred to as seen at Flamborough, in 1814-15, and mentioned by Arthur Strickland in the Report of Thomas Allis, who, in 1844, wrote: - "Otis tetrax. - The Lesser Bustard. - Dr. Farrar informs me that a specimen of this beautiful species was shot in Bolton Wood, near Bradford, about five years ago by the keeper of Francis Simes, Esq., in whose possession it now remains"....Arthur Strickland remarks: "...In the winter of 1814-15 two of these birds were seen at Flamborough; one of them was killed, which I believe was still in preservation".'

10). 1816 Cornwall Triffle, St Germans, male, shot, July.

(G. T. Fox, Synopsis of Newcastle Museum, 1827; Yarrell, 1871-85; Penhallurick, 1978).

History Harting, Editor (1880: xlv-xlvii) in Rodd's Birds of Cornwall, under 'Introduction', says: 'Mr. Henry Mewburn of St. German's, Cornwall, in one of his letters, dated 7th March 1826, to G. T. Fox, of Durham, says: "I also sent to Mr. Thomas Bewick", he says, "a male specimen of the Little Bustard, shot at Triffle, in the parish of St. German's, and about a mile from the sea, in July 1816. I could never hear but of one more being seen in this part, and that many years ago. It was also a male, and was bought in Plymouth market, and dressed at one of the inns there as a pheasant for the travellers' table".'

Comment Curious date. It should be on its breeding grounds on the continent.

11). Pre 1819 Dorset Warmwell, female, shot, undated, now at British Museum.

(W. Thompson, Zoologist 1854: 4253; F. L. Blathwayt, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society 55: 207).

History W. Thompson of Weymouth (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4253, dated February 1854, says: '...I do not find any record of this bird having hitherto been obtained in this county, with the exception of a notice supplied me by my friend G. Pickard-Cambridge, Esq., of a female, which was shot some years since in a turnip field, at Warmwell, about five miles from Winfrith: this bird was sent to Bullock's Museum, and from thence to the British Museum.'

Admitted by F. L. Blathwayt (1934) in the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Vol. LV. p. 207, under 'A Revised List of the Birds of Dorset'.

Comment William Bullock's Museum in London was dispersed in c.1819; he died in 1822.

12). 1820 Norfolk Mundesley, shot, November.

(J. H. Gurney, jun., Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 2: 19; T. Southwell, Zoologist 1890: 462-463; T. Southwell, Field 31st Jan., 1891: 163; Riviere, 1930).

History J. H. Gurney, jun., (1874-79) in the Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society, Vol. II. p. 19, says: 'The late Miss Anna Gurney, of Northrepps Cottage, kept for some years notes of zoological occurrences in that neighbourhood as she deemed worthy of record. 1820. Nov. A Little Bustard shot at Mundesley.'

Thomas Southwell (1890) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XIV. pp. 462-463, says: 'The following letter, from the late Mr. J. H. Gurney, refers to the earliest known instance of the occurrence of the Little Bustard in the county of Norfolk. It was not known to Mr. Stevenson when he wrote his Birds of Norfolk, but will be found mentioned in some "Extracts from the Note-book of the late Miss Anna Gurney, of Northrepps", published in the Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society (Vol. II. p. 19). The coloured drawing referred to represents an example "in winter, or perhaps female, plumage". The letter is dated "Northrepps Hall, 10th April, 1890", and possesses a melancholy interest from the fact of its having been written only the day before Mr. Gurney was seized by the attack which ended fatally on the 20th of the same month: - "Dear Mr. Southwell, - I have just been referring to Miss Gurney's drawing of the Pomatorhine Skua, and on looking through the portfolio I observe (also by her) of a Little Bustard, shot at Mundesley in November, 1820. I do not think that Mr. Stevenson has mentioned this specimen, and possibly you may like to do so in your Appendix. - Yours very truly, J. H. Gurney".'

Thomas Southwell of Norwich (1891) in The Field of 31st Jan., Vol. LXXVII. p. 163, says: 'In reply to your correspondent "H.H.B.L." in The Field of 24th inst., I may inform him that Mr. Stevenson, in the Birds of Norfolk, enumerates eleven instances of the occurrence of the Little Bustard in Norfolk up to the year 1861. Another example, which was unknown to Mr. S. at that time, was killed at Mundesley in November, 1820.'

13). 1820 Devon Creacombe Moor, near Exmoor, shot, winter.

(E. Moore, Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History 1: 319; D'Urban & Mathew, 1892).

History Edward Moore of Plymouth (1837) in Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History, Vol. I. p. 319, dated May, 1837, says: 'In 1820, another was shot on Creacombe Moor, near Exmoor.'

14). c. 1820 Northumberland Prestwick Carr, female, shot, undated, now at Ravensworth Castle.

(Hancock, 1874; Bolam, 1912; Galloway & Meek, 1978-83).

History Hancock (1874: 95) says: 'I am informed, by the Right Honourable the Earl of Ravensworth, that a specimen, in the museum at Ravensworth Castle, of the Little Bustard (which is in the plumage of the female), was taken at Prestwick Carr about the year 1820, and that his Lordship had it alive for a short time.'

15). c. 1820 Suffolk Mildenhall Fen, killed, undated, now at Bury St Edmunds Museum.

(Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 27: 305).

History Babington (1884-86: 114) of this specimen which he has seen he says: 'One killed on the edge of Mildenhall Fen about 1820 (now at Barton Hall in possession of Sir C. J. F. Bunbury).'

Ticehurst (1932: 327) adds: 'One, Mildenhall Fen, about 1820 (Bury Museum). Further, p. 328, he adds: 'I have examined this one and found it to be the eastern race, O. t. orientalis.'

16). c. 1820 Suffolk River Orwell, Wherstead, shot, undated.

(Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History Babington (1884-86: 114) says: 'One shot on the Orwell (before 1824) near Sir Robert Harland's seat, into whose possession it came (Sheppard & Whitear); Sir Robert, alluding doubtless to this bird, told Mr. Zincke that it had been shot in his time in the parish of Wherstead (F. B. Zincke in Suff. Chron., May 31, 1884).'

Accepted locally (Ticehurst 1932: 327).

17). 1821 Northumberland Near Warkworth, female, shot, autumn, now at Alnwick Castle.

(Selby, 1833; Hancock, 1874; Bolam, 1912; Galloway & Meek, 1978-83).

History Selby (1833 (1): 447) says: 'Montagu alludes to three or four instances of its capture; and I am enabled to add two more, of individuals that were killed in Northumberland. One of these, in the possession of his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, and from the tints of its plumage, apparently a female, was shot near Warkworth, in the autumn of 1821.'

Hancock (1874: 95-96) says: 'We learn from Selby's Illustrations of British Ornithology, that two other specimens of this rare visitant have been taken in Northumberland. "One of these, in the possession of His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, and, from the tints of its plumage, apparently a female, was shot near Warkworth in the autumn of 1821".'

18). c. 1822 Norfolk Elmham, shot, winter.

(Stevenson, 1870).

History Stevenson (1870 (2): 42-43) says: 'The earliest of which I have any evidence is a bird in the collection of Lord Sondes, at Elmham Hall, which, as his Lordship has kindly informed me, was shot by his gamekeeper on some fenny land at Elmham, about the year 1822 or 1823. It is in full winter plumage, but the sex was not noted at the time.'

19). Pre 1823 Yorkshire Near Beverley, female, shot, undated.

(Latham, 1821-28; Allis, 1844; Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History Latham (1823 (8): 365) says: 'Another in Yorkshire, near Beverley; communicated by the late Mr. Foljambe, of Grosvenor-place; time of the year not mentioned; this, though given to him as a male, was in the female plumage.'

Clarke & Roebuck (1881: 69) say: 'The localities from which it has been reported are: - near Beverley, and one on the Wolds prior to 1844 (Allis, 1844).'

20). 1823 Essex Harwich, female, killed, January.

(W. Yarrell, Zoological Journal 2: 24-25; Yarrell, 1845; J. A. Lockwood, Zoologist 1875: 4340; Glegg, 1929; Cox, 1984).

History W. Yarrell (1824) in the Zoological Journal, Vol. II. pp. 24-25, dated 12th March 1825, says: '1823. January. A female of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot near Harwich. The stomach contained parts of leaves of the white turnip, lungwort, dandelion and a few blades of grass. The flesh had not the delicacy of appearance or flavour which it is described by some authors to possess.'

Yarrell (1845 (2): 427, 2nd ed.) says: 'Three specimens have been obtained in Essex, one of which, a female, killed at Harwich in January 1823, is in my own collection.'

Further, p. 429, Yarrell adds: 'In the specimen killed at Harwich, in my own collection, the body of which was examined, the stomach contained parts of leaves of the white turnip, lungwort, dandelion, and a few blades of grass. The flesh had the appearance and flavour of that of a young hen Pheasant.'

J. A. Lockwood (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X. p. 4340, says: 'A female was killed at Harwich in January, 1823.'

21). 1823 Northumberland Near Belford, male, killed, 1st February.

(Latham, 1821-28; Selby, 1833; Hancock, 1874; Evans, 1911; Galloway & Meek, 1978-83).

History Latham (1823 (8): 365) says: 'In addition to the above Mr. Selby, of Twizell House, Northumberland, informs me, that one of these, in the female plumage, was killed near him in January last, and found, on dissection, to be a male.'

Selby (1833 (1): 447) says: 'Montagu alludes to three or four instances of its capture; and I am enabled to add two more, of individuals that were killed in Northumberland....the other was killed on the 1st of February 1823, near Twizell, and is placed in my collection.

This bird, although destitute of the peculiar markings about the head and neck that distinguish the male in his adult state, or rather perhaps at a particular season, proved, however, to be of that sex, by the unerring test of dissection. This fact, corroborated by the case mentioned in the Supplement to Dr. Latham's General Synopsis, of a bird of this species, killed in Sussex, having the apparent plumage of the female, but also, on dissection, proving otherwise, has led me to doubt the assertion of various writers, that all the individuals killed in Britain had been of the female sex; and I can only account for the assertion, by concluding it to have arisen from the contrast observable between these specimens and the male, as seen in his summer attire, without the more certain criterion above mentioned having been attempted.'

Hancock (1874: 95-96) says: 'We learn from Selby's Illustrations of British Ornithology, that two other specimens of this rare visitant have been taken in Northumberland. "...the other was killed on the 1st of February, 1823, near Twizell", and was placed in Mr. Selby's collection.'

Evans (1911: 193) says: '...This is our only record, and it should be noticed that as the bird is not given in 1835 in Selby's list of the species occurring near Twizell House, Belford, where he resided (Hist. Ber. Nat. Club, Vol. I. p. 135), it possibly came from Twizell on the Till.'

22). 1823 Essex Little Clacton, shot, December.

(Anon., Zoological Journal 1: 278; J. A. Lockwood, Zoologist 1875: 4339; Yarrell, 1845; Glegg, 1929; Cox, 1984).

History Anon. (1824-25) in the Zoological Journal, Vol. I. p. 278, under 'Linnean Society', in the June 1824 issue, says: 'April 6. - A letter was read, from the Rev. W. Whitear, A.M. F.L.S. of Starston, in Norfolk, stating that a Little Bustard had been shot in December last, at Little Clacton, in Essex. He considers it to be a curious fact that this bird, an inhabitant of a Southern climate should have been met with in this country, in a hard winter.'

Yarrell (1845 (2): 427, 2nd ed.) says: 'A second [for Essex] was killed at Little Clacton in the winter of 1824.'

J. A. Lockwood (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X. p. 4340, says: 'A second was killed at Little Clacton in the winter of 1824.'

23). 1824 Suffolk Rendlesham, killed, undated.

(Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History Babington (1884-86: 253) says: 'One killed at Rendlesham in 1824 (Cat. of Ely Leverian Mus.).'

Accepted locally (Ticehurst 1932: 327).

24). 1831 Cornwall Bury Down, Lanreath, adult male, shot, 23rd September, now at Plymouth City Museum.

(J. Couch, Loudon's Magazine of Natural History 6: 141; J. E. Beckerlegge & N. R. Phillips, Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report 1964: 52; Penhallurick, 1978).

History J. Couch of Polperro (1833) in Loudon's Magazine of Natural History, Vol. VI. p. 141, dated July, 1832, says: 'A specimen of this rare bird was shot on Berry Down [sic], in the parish of Lanreath, among the heath, Sept. 23, 1831. Its weight was 1 lb. 14 oz.; length from bill to tail, 18 in.; to the toes, 19.5 in.; expanse of wings, 2 ft. 11 in. The plumage was such as is figured by Bewick, and described as that of a female, having no black, or band of white, about the neck; yet, on dissection, it proved to be a male. As a remark similar to this has been made before, it becomes a question whether, in fact, the male, after moulting, does not assume the plumage of the female?'

J. E. Beckerlegge & N. R. Phillips (1964) in the Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report, Vol. XXXIV. p. 52, say: 'Mr. F. R. Gomm, the Natural History Assistant in the City Museum and Art Gallery, Plymouth, writes of a mounted Little Bustard in the collection. "Pasted to the back of the case was the following note: - "Lanreath, September, 1832, I certify that this Little Bustard was killed by John Lear on the Bury Down, in the parish of Lanreath, and having been brought to me while warm there can be no doubt of the fact. Richard Buller, Rector of Lanreath". I have had it pointed out to me by a member of your society (Mr. Stephen Madge of Torpoint) that this specimen is considerably lighter in colour and less heavily marked with black than other specimens in the collection. Should this bird turn out to be a Western form I am sure that it will be of interest to you. I am not prepared to commit myself not having had sufficient experience. Should you know of anyone capable of distinguishing between the Eastern and Western races I should be only too pleased to show them the specimen.'

[This record is not mentioned in Rodd's Birds of Cornwall. - Eds.]

Penhallurick (1978: 126) says: 'One was shot on Berry [sic] Down in Lanreath on 23rd September 1831 (Couch, Magazine of Natural History (Loudon's) 6: 141) and is now in Plymouth Museum. Details pasted to the back of the case state that it was killed by John Lear, and "having been brought to me while warm there can be no doubt of the fact. Richard Buller, Rector of Lanreath".

Comment The specimen was recently examined by S. G. Madge and found to be an adult male in winter plumage. The year must be 1831 because the letter is dated July, 1832 [double checked], which is obviously before September, 1832.

25). 1832 Cambridgeshire Caxton, shot, December, now at Cambridge University Museum.

(Cambridge Chronicle 18th Jan., 1833; H. Turner, Loudon's Magazine of Natural History 6: 513; Ticehurst, 1932; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 27: 305; Lack, 1934; Bircham, 1989).

History Henry Turner (1833) in Loudon's Magazine of Natural History, Vol. VI. p. 513, says: 'A fine specimen of the Little Bustard, a bird very scarce in this country, was lately shot near Caxton, in this county. It is in the possession of the Cambridge Philosophical Society (Cambridge Chronicle, January 18, 1833).'

Ticehurst (1932: 328) says: 'I have examined this one from Caxton, Cambridgeshire, December 1932, in Cambridge University Museum and found it to be the eastern race, O. t. orientalis.'

Lack (1934: 110) says: 'One shot at Caxton, December, 1932, is now in the Cambridge University Museum.'

26). 1833 Norfolk Hellesdon, female, killed, 3rd December, now at Castle Museum, Norwich.

(Stevenson, 1870; Patterson, 1907; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 23: 24; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 27: 305).

History Stevenson (1870 (2): 43) says: 'A supposed female (No. 185b) in the Norwich museum, was presented by the late Mr. Sparshall, in 1843, and was shot in a turnip field at Hellesdon, near Norwich; in 1835 according to an entry in the donation book, but in Mr. Lombe's* MS. notes the date of this specimen is given as December 3rd, 1833, which I have reason to believe is the more correct. Mr. Gurney remembers this bird in the possession of Mr. Sparshall, for some years before it was deposited in the museum collection.'

*Further, in a footnote Stevenson adds: 'There are two fine specimens, male and female, in Mr. Lombe's collection, but no record exists as to the localities from whence he obtained them.'

J. H. Gurney, jun., & T. Southwell (1884-89) in the Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society, Vol. IV. p. 400, say: 'It may be well to mention that the date of Mr. Sparshall's specimen (Birds of Norfolk, Vol. II. p. 43) should, as suggested by Mr. Stevenson, be 3rd December 1833, and not 1835, as entered in the Norwich Museum presentation book. There is a record of its occurrence in the Norfolk Chronicle for December 14th, 1833.'

Further, in a footnote, is added: 'At the same time one was killed in Kent, one in Oxfordshire, and another in Scotland.'

Patterson (1907: 259-260) says: 'One of my chief delights in looking over the contents of an old bookstall is to turn over the flyleaves, and to conjure up all sorts of romances from the strange names and stranger remarks often found pencilled in some ancient volume. Old natural history books have a peculiar fascination for me, for I have more than once read interesting comments written in pencil on the margins by an interested reader long laid under the grass, but whose deductions and observations remain fresh and entertaining. I will refer to one book only, an old edition of White's Selborne, which I purchased for a few pence. Among other "notes" were the following: ..."Smaller bustard. In 1833 one of the smaller bustards was shot near Norwich, and the person who shot it sold it for a shilling, not knowing what it was". T.B.C.".'

H. F. Witherby (1929) in British Birds, Vol. XXIII. p. 24, says: 'It was pointed out in the Practical Handbook (Vol. II. p. 816) that the only three British specimens of the Little Bustard I had been able to examine were those in the British Museum and that these were all of the Eastern form, Otis tetrax orientalis

I have recently carefully compared, in company with Dr. B. B. Riviere, two Norfolk specimens - a female killed at Hellesdon in 1835, and a female killed at Trunch, some time prior to 1847, both of which are in the Norwich Museum, and these clearly also belong to the Eastern form.'

H. F. Witherby (1934) in British Birds, Vol. XXVII. p. 305, in a footnote, says: 'I have examined two Norfolk specimens, 1835 and before 1847, in the Norwich Museum.' Seago (1977) also says: '1835 Hellesdon.'

27). 1833 Angus & Dundee Near Montrose, Angus, killed, 20th December, now at Montrose Museum.

(Yarrell, 1845; Gray, 1871; H. M. Drummond Hay, Scottish Naturalist 8: 372; Harvie-Brown, 1906; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; Crighton, 1976).

History Yarrell (1845 (2): 428, 2nd ed.) says: 'T. M. Grant, Esq., of Edinburgh, has supplied me with notice of one killed near Montrose, in December 1833, which is the only one, I am aware of, that has been killed in Scotland.'

Gray (1871: 249) says: 'There is a specimen in the Montrose Museum, which was shot near that town in December 1833. In April, 1868, I had an opportunity of examining this specimen, which is still in good preservation.'

H. M. Drummond Hay (1885-86) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. VIII. p. 372, in the Report of the East of Scotland Union, says: '...was shot near Montrose, 20th December, 1833, by J. Rintoull, gamekeeper (J.A.H.B. in litt.).'

Harvie-Brown (1906: 292) says: 'In Yarrell's first edition (Vol. II. p. 373) the only previous Scottish specimen is the one obtained near Montrose in December 1833.' In a footnote, he adds: 'This information was supplied by Mr. Thomas Macpherson Grant, of Craigo, whose name will be found frequently mentioned in our volumes on the Fauna of the Moray Basin; and I possess many of his letters which were written to the late Rev. George Gordon, of Birnie, in connection with the birds of Moray, and the extensive collection which he gave to the Museum at Elgin. Thus, as above, it appears he had also been a correspondent of Yarrell's.'

Admitted nationally (Witherby et al. 1940-52; Baxter & Rintoul 1953; BOU 1971).

Forrester & Andrews et al. (2007 (1): 542) say: 'The bird was mounted by Thomas Molison and sold in 1834 to Thomas Macpherson Grant who presented it to Elgin Museum in 1854, not Montrose Museum as stated by Gray. It is no longer traceable.'

28). 1833 Oxfordshire Brockley Wood, Denton Common, shot, 23rd December.

(Yarrell, 1845; A. & H. Matthews, Zoologist 1849: 2599; F. Holme, Zoologist 1856: 5041; Aplin, 1889).

History Yarrell (1845 (2): 427, 2nd ed.) says: 'To F. Holme, Esq., I am indebted for the knowledge of a specimen that was shot on Denton Common in Oxfordshire, in December 1833.'

A. & H. Matthews (1849) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. VII. p. 2599, under 'The Birds of Oxfordshire', say: 'A very fine female of this species was shot in November, 1835, by Mr. Aldworth, a farmer, at Garsington, in this county, in whose possession it still remains. Another was "said to have been killed on Denton Common, in December, 1830".'

F. Holme (1856) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XIV. p. 5041, in a letter to E. H. Rodd dated January 1834, says: 'The Little Bustard was shot on the 23rd of December last by a farmer, at Brockley Wood, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Oxford.'

Aplin (1889: 142) says: 'Messrs. Matthews also mention another, on the authority of Rev. H. Roundell, which was said to have been killed on Denton Common in December, 1830 (Zoologist, p. 2600).'

Comment Any record with a hint of doubt ("said to be") is usually unacceptable. Aplin mentions one record in the 1830s, that at Garsington in 1835, but, it appears Frederick Holme has come up with the correct details for this record. Garsington is less than a mile away from Denton and is considered to have been the same individual, as was the 1830 record.

29). 1834 Kent Chatham, killed, January.

(S. Hart, Loudon's Magazine of Natural History 7: 458-459; Yarrell, 1845; Ticehurst, 1909; Harrison, 1953).

History Stephen Hart of Chatham (1834) in Loudon's Magazine of Natural History, Vol. VII. pp. 458-459, dated 21st January, 1834, says: 'Of the Little Bustard, a fine individual has been recently killed in this neighbourhood. It has been preserved; and the specimen is deposited in the valuable cabinet of British birds belonging to the Philosophical and Literary Institution of Chatham.'

Yarrell (1845 (2): 427, 2nd ed.) says: 'One was killed at Chatham, in Kent, in January 1834.'

Accepted locally as the first for Kent (Ticehurst 1909: 406; Harrison, 1953).

Comment Hart was subcurator of the above institution.

30). 1835 Cornwall Trelowarren, St Mawgan-in-Meneage, shot, late May.

(Royal Cornwall Gazette 30th May 1835: 2; Rodd, 1864; Bullmore, 1867; E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1870: 2242; Penhallurick, 1978).

History Anon (1835) in the Royal Cornwall Gazette of 30th May, 1835, p. 2, says: '...a short time since [last week] that beautiful bird the Little Bustard was shot at that place [The Lizard]; it has been neatly stuffed by Mr. Robert Paul of Helston, and is now in his possession.'

Bullmore (1867: 26) says: 'One example taken at Trelowarren.'

E. H. Rodd (1870) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. V. p. 2242, says: 'One obtained from the neighbourhood of Trelowarren.' Accepted locally (Penhallurick 1978: 126).

31). c. 1836 Norfolk Morston, killed, autumn.

(Eyton, 1836; Stevenson, 1870).

History Eyton (1836: 99) says: 'Another, also a female, is in our possession, killed in Norfolk.'

Stevenson (1870 (2): 43-44) says: 'About the year 1836, as recorded in Mr. Dowell's note book, a Little Bustard was killed at Morston, near Blakeney, by Mr. Wood, which is said to have been presented to the British museum; and, in reply to my enquiries, Mr. W. G. Wood, jun., furnished me with the following additional particulars: - "It was shot by my father more than thirty years ago. I think it was a female. Major Loftus had it, as he then hired both the Stiffkey and Morston shooting; it was killed in autumn".

I have been unable to trace this specimen, but it evidently did not, as above stated, find its way into the national collection.

Mr. G. R. Gray, of the British museum, has very obligingly searched the records of donations about that period, and can find no reference to it, but, singularly enough, as will be seen by that gentleman's "Catalogue" (1863, p. 134), one of the only two examples of the Little Bustard amongst the "British Birds" in that collection, is entered as killed in Norfolk.

This one, a male in full summer plumage, cannot be confounded in any way with Mr. Wood's specimen obtained in the autumn, and is moreover known to have been purchased at the sale of Mr. Bullock's celebrated museum.

In an annotated copy of Bullock's sale Catalogue, in the possession of Mr. A. Newton, I find (page 27) the following entry: - "Little Bustard (male) extremely rare", to which the former owner of the catalogue (Mr. George Caley) has added in writing, "killed in Britain", with "Dr. Leach" as the name of the buyer, and £10 as the price. Dr. Leach, at that time, was keeper of the Zoological department of the British museum, but it will be noticed that in this entry no mention is made as to the precise locality, nor can I ascertain when, or on what authority, the bird was first ticketed "Norfolk".

From the fact, however, that in every other known instance, this species has occurred on our coast late in autumn or during the winter months (a rule which pertains in other countries as well, according to Yarrell, who adds, "the male has never been killed here in the plumage assumed during the breeding season that I am aware of"), I am inclined to believe that this, after all, is no exception, and, even if "killed in Britain", that Norfolk cannot fairly reckon it amongst its local rarities.'

Comment Eyton's female may be the missing specimen as all the others obtained in Norfolk prior to 1836 are accounted for.

32). 1837-38 Essex Writtle, obtained, winter, now at Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery (Acc. No. 1924Z18.4168).

(Essex Literary Journal; J. Clarke, Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History 3: 100; E. C. Nunn, Morris and Bree's Naturalist 2: 229; Christy, 1890; Glegg, 1929; Cox, 1984; Watson, 2010).

History Joseph Clarke of Saffron Walden (1839) in Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History, Vol. III. p. 100, dated 24th November, 1838, says: 'The Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was taken last year in this county.'

E. C. Nunn (1852) in Morris and Bree's edition of The Naturalist, Vol. II. p. 229, says: 'Being on a visit to my friend, Mr. Baker, Writtle, near Chelmsford, a short time ago, I saw in his collection of rare birds, a fine specimen of the Little Bustard, which was shot on his farm some few years since. This bird is rarely, if ever, seen in this country at the present day.'

Christy (1890: 230) says: 'Yarrell says: ...a third "very recently" near Chelmsford, of which he had been informed, he says by Mr. G. Meggy. This latter specimen (killed on Robert Baker's farm at Writtle, during the severe winter of 1837-38) seems to have excited much interest at the time, as it was left by its owner at the Chronicle's office, Chelmsford, for exhibition. It is now in the possession of Mr. R. W. Chase, of Birmingham.'

Accepted locally (Glegg 1929: 271; Cox, 1984).

Watson (2010) in detailing the R. W. Chase collection in the Birmingham Museum lists this specimen and quoting from his Notebooks adds that it was killed on Robert Baker's farm during the severe winter of 1837-38. Formerly in the collection of C. Smoothy. Vide Christy's Birds of Essex, p. 230.

33). 1838 Norfolk Old Buckenham, female, shot, November.

(Stevenson, 1870).

History Stevenson (1870 (2): 45) says: 'In November, 1838, as I am informed by the Rev. Thomas Fulcher, a fine female in his possession was shot in a turnip-field, at Old Buckenham.'

34). 1839 Yorkshire Boythorpe, Sledmere Wolds, near Scarborough, early in the year.

(Allis, 1844; Yarrell, 1845; Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History Yarrell (1845 (2): 428, 2nd ed.) says: 'Very early in the same year, 1839, one specimen was killed at Boythorp [sic], Sledmere Wolds, near Scarborough, of which Mr. Hawkridge sent me notice.'

Clarke & Roebuck (1881: 69) say: 'The localities from which it has been reported are: - Boythorpe, one early in 1839.'

35). 1839 West Midlands Near Birmingham, Warwickshire, two seen, one shot, October.

(Yarrell, 1845; Morris, 1851-57; Harrison et al., 1982).

History Yarrell (1845 (2): 427-428, 2nd ed.) says: 'In October 1839, two Little Bustards were seen near Birmingham, as I learn from D. W. Compton, Esq., and one of the two was killed.'

Morris (1856 (5): 7) says: 'Two near Birmingham, Warwickshire, in October, 1839.'

37). 1839 Kent Near Lydd, female, killed, 11th November.

(Ticehurst, 1909; Harrison, 1953).

History Ticehurst (1909: 406) says: 'In the Dover Museum are two females, which were shot near Lydd by Plomley. One of them was killed on November 11th, 1839, and since both are mentioned by Pemberton Bartlett (Zool., 1844, p. 623), the other must have been obtained before 1844.'

Harrison (1953 (1): 298) says: 'Plomley shot a female near Lydd on 11th November, 1839.'

38). 1839 Devon Bigbury-on-Sea, female, obtained, 15th November.

(C. Prideaux, Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History 4: 47; Yarrell, 1845; H. Nichols, jun., Zoologist 1847: 1694-1695; D'Urban & Mathew, 1895).

History Charles Prideaux of Kingsbridge (1840) in Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History, Vol. IV. p. 47, dated 22nd November, 1839, says: 'On Friday, the 15th of November, a specimen of that very rare bird, the Little Bustard, (Tetrax campestris), was killed at Bigbury, in the south of Devon, which came into my possession the next day; this is I believe the second occurrence of this bird in that county, and it is rather singular, that in the other instance the bird was bought in Plymouth market in 1804 by my brother, Wm. Prideaux, and presented to the late Col. Montagu, and is now in the British Museum; it was killed in the north of Devon.'

H. Nichols, jun., Kingsbridge, Devon (1847) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. V. pp. 1694-1695, says: 'From seeing your circular, inviting persons to transmit you any rare occurrences relative to Natural History, suited for the pages of The Zoologist. I beg to hand you a list of rare birds which have come into my possession, and have been shot in this neighbourhood within the last seven years: "Two Little Bustards, females".'

D'Urban & Mathew (1895: 293, 2nd ed.) say: 'Two females occurred near Kingsbridge between 1840 and 1847 (H. N., Zool., 1847, 1695).'

Comment Presumably, this was one of them.

39). c. 1839 Yorkshire Bolton Wood, near Bradford, undated.

(Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History Clarke & Roebuck (1881: 69) say: 'The localities from which it has been reported are: - Bolton Wood, near Bradford, about 1839.'

Mather (1986) states that Thomas Allis in his report of 1844, mentioned four undated records: one shot in Bolton Wood, near Bradford, 'about five years ago'.

40). Pre 1840 Essex Landwick Marshes, Dengie, shot, September.

(Essex Literary Journal; Glegg, 1929; Cox, 1984; Wood, 2007).

History Glegg (1929: 271) says: 'Mr. C. Parsons, writing in 1840, states that it was shot once on Landwick marshes in September.'

Comment Christy (1890) makes no mention of this record.

41). 1840 Fife St Andrews, female, shot, 6th March, now at Bell-Pettigrew Museum, University of St Andrews (BPM old catalogue no. 133).

(MacGillivray, 1837-52; Turnbull, 1867; Gray, 1871; R. Walker, Scottish Naturalist 1: 79; H. M. Drummond Hay, Scottish Naturalist 8: 372; Harvie-Brown, 1906; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).

History Macgillivray (1852 (4): 39) says: 'The only specimen obtained there [Scotland], in so far as I can learn, is a female, which Mr. John Adamson informs me was shot on the 6th of March, 1840, near St. Andrew's. It was first seen among turnips, on the farm of Burnside. When raised, it took a short circular flight, with outstretched neck, like a duck, and again settled in an adjoining ploughed field, where it was found with some difficulty as it sat close. It gave a peculiar chirping cry on rising. It was in fine condition, weighing twenty-eight ounces, and on being prepared was placed in the museum of the St. Andrew's Literary and Philosophical Society.'

Turnbull (1867, 2nd ed.) says: 'One shot near St Andrews in 1840, and now preserved in the College Museum there.'

Gray (1871: 249) says: 'Another was shot near St Andrews on 6th March, 1840, and is now preserved in the Literary and Philosophical Society's Museum there.' Gray, in a footnote, adds: 'Captain Fielden informs me that this bird was shot by Dr. Adamson of St. Andrews.'

Robert Walker (1871-72) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. I. p. 79, says: 'A female shot at Burnside, on the 6th March, 1840.'

H. M. Drummond Hay (1885-86) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. VIII. p. 372, in the Report of the East of Scotland Union, admits this record.

Admitted nationally (Harvie-Brown 1906: 292; Witherby et al. 1940-52; Baxter & Rintoul 1953; BOU 1971).

42). c. 1840 Lancashire & North Merseyside Heaton, immature male, killed, undated.

(P. Rylands, Naturalist 1857; Saunders, 1892; Oakes, 1953; Spencer, 1973; White, McCarthy & Jones, 2008).

History Howard Saunders (1892: 206-207, 2nd ed.) in the revised edition of Mitchell's Birds of Lancashire, says: 'An immature male killed at Heaton, about 1840, is now in the possession of Mr. W. H. Fitzherbert Brockholes of Claughton Hall.'

Oakes (1953: 351) says: 'Mitchell gives insufficient details. The specimens have not been available for inspection.'

Spencer (1973: 25) says: 'The late J. R. Charnley owned this specimen and presented it to the late H. W. Robinson for the Museum at the Lancaster Royal Grammar School, where I saw it in 1960.'

White, McCarthy & Jones (2008: 116) say: 'Was in the possession of W. Fitzherbert-Brockholes of Claughton Hall, near Garstang. It was later examined by Spencer at the Lancaster Grammar School in 1960 where its identity was confirmed.'

43). 1842 Cambridgeshire Welney Wash, female, shot, 21st January, now at Wisbech Museum.

(Cambridge Chronicle 7th May, 1842; Lubbock, 1845; Stevenson, 1866; Lack, 1934; Bircham, 1989).

History Stevenson (1870 (2): 45) says: 'On the 21st of January, 1842, as I learn from Mr. Foster, of Wisbech, another female (as ascertained by dissection) was shot on one of the washes, near Welney, on the extreme western limits of the county. This bird, the one referred to by Mr. Lubbock as killed near Wisbech, is now in the museum of that town.'

Accepted locally (Lack 1934: 110; Bircham 1989).

44). 1842 Yorkshire Hebden Vale, Hebden Bridge, female, shot, 4th June.

(T. Gibson, Annals & Magazine of Natural History 9: 438).

History Thomas Gibson of Heptonstall (1842) in the Annals & Magazine of Natural History, Vol. IX. p. 438, dated 8th June, 1842, says: 'I have the pleasure of announcing to the ornithological readers of your Magazine the occurrence of a bird which is altogether new to this neighbourhood, Tetrao tetrix, Linn.

A single example, a female, was shot on the 4th inst. in the Hebden Vale, about two miles from Hebden Bridge. On opening the stomach I found it to be filled with the flowers of Geum urbanum, Rumex acetosa, and a few of the capsules of the Viola canina. The specimen I have prepared, and placed it in my father's collection.'

Comment Strange date! But one occurred in June 2019 in Gloucestershire.

45). 1842 Nottinghamshire Shelton, killed, autumn.

(W. F. Foottit, Zoologist 1854: 4253; Felkin, 1866; H. A. Macpherson, Naturalist 16: 235; Whitaker, 1907).

History W. F. Foottit of Newark, Notts. (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4253, dated 3rd February 1854, says: 'I may take this opportunity of mentioning that a Little Bustard was shot within eight miles of Newark, in the county of Nottingham, about eight years ago, by Banks Wright, Esq., of Shelton.'

Felkin (1866: 51) says: 'One of these rare birds was killed twelve years ago, on the Rev. Banks Wright's property at Shelton; it was feeding in a stack-yard, among some barn-door fowls.'

Rev. H. A. Macpherson (1890) in The Naturalist, Vol. XVI. p. 235, quoting from a letter dated Preston, November 12th, 1842, from James Cooper to T. C. Heysham, "In a letter I had from my son-in-law, who is at Newark-on-Trent, he tells me that a Little Bustard was killed about two months before, not far from that place".'

Whitaker (1907: 252) says: 'One was shot at Shelton, in 1854 [sic], by the Rev. Banks Wright.'

Comment Whitaker erroneously gave the date it was published in The Zoologist for the occurrence of the bird.

46). Pre 1844 Kent Near Lydd, female, killed, undated.

(Ticehurst, 1909; Harrison, 1953).

History Ticehurst (1909: 406) says: 'In the Dover Museum are two females, which were shot near Lydd by Plomley....and since both are mentioned by Pemberton Bartlett (Zool., 1844, p. 623), the other must have been obtained before 1844.'

47). Pre 1845 Kent Near Canterbury, female, killed, undated, now at Canterbury Museum.

(Thompson, 1845; Ticehurst, 1909; Harrison, 1953).

History Ticehurst (1909: 406-407) says: 'Another female, still in the Canterbury Museum, came under [E. P.] Thompson's personal notice, and is stated by him to have been obtained (prior to 1845) near that town.'

48). Pre 1845 Norfolk Terrington St Clements, three, shot, undated.

(A. C. Smith, Zoologist 1875: 4421-22; Smith, 1887).

History Alfred Charles Smith of Yatesbury Rectory, Calne (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X. pp. 4421-22, dated 19th February, 1875, says: 'The occurrence of a specimen of the Little Bustard in the parish of Tilney All Saints, in West Norfolk, in December last [1874], as recorded in The Zoologist for February last (s.s. p. 4340), is somewhat remarkable, inasmuch as it proves another instance of the mysterious attraction which certain localities seem to possess for certain of the rarer stragglers of the feathered race to our shores.

In the very next parish to Tilney - viz. Terrington St. Clements - my late father-in-law, the vicar of that parish, the Rev. T. T. Upwood (who was an excellent field ornithologist), shot at various times no less than three specimens of the Little Bustard, two of which are still in the collection which he left at his seat, Lovell's Hall, in the parish of Terrington, and the third is in my own collection here.

These occurrences, however (I must hasten to add) took place between thirty and forty years ago, when the neighbourhood of the Wash presented a much wilder aspect than it does now, and when ornithological prizes were continually met with, the very narration of which makes the collector's mouth water in these degenerate days.'

Smith (1887: 366) in his Birds of Wiltshire, quotes the same story.

51). 1846 Sussex Cuckmere, shot, October.

(Borrer, 1891; Walpole-Bond, 1938).

History Borrer (1891: 201) says: 'Mr. Dennis, in a letter to me, dated December 9th, 1854, says, speaking of a Little Bustard: "It was shot at Cuckmere in October 1846, by a Coastguardsman of the name of Bull, and sold by him to Mr. King, of East Blatchington, for half-a-crown. The purchaser, I fancy, was doubtful of it as an edible, and gave it to a painter of the name of Stent, by whom it was preserved". In March 1854, Mr. Dennis showed me the legs and feet of this bird, which were all that then remained, the rest of the specimen having been destroyed by moth.'

Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 321).

Comment Rev. R. N. Dennis.

52). 1846 Suffolk Snape, shot, November, now at Ipswich Museum.

(A. Newton, Zoologist 1847: 1693; Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History G. Ransome (1847) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. V. p. 1693, dated 30th March, 1847, says: 'Lesser Bustard - shot by J. Flatt, Esq., Snape, November, 1846.'

Babington (1884-86: 114) adds: 'One shot by Mr. Flatt at Snape Nov. 1846 (G. Newsome, Zool., 1693), one from this place in the Ipswich Museum (presented by J. G. Shepherd, Esq., probably the same as the bird mentioned by Mr. Bilson below). One killed by Mr. Sheppard at Campsea Ash in 1846 (Bilson in Journ. Suff. Inst. 46).'

Ticehurst (1932: 327) lists both: 'One, Snape, November 1846; and one, Campsea Ash, 1846 (was in Ipswich Museum).'

Comment Snape and Campsea Ash are five miles apart. The Campsea Ash record was not recorded until 1884-86.

53). 1846 Suffolk Campsea Ash, killed, undated.

(Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History Babington (1884-86: 114) says: 'One killed by Mr. Sheppard at Campsea Ash in 1846 (Bilson in Journ. Suff. Inst. 46).' Ticehurst (1932: 327) says: 'One, Campsea Ash, 1846 (was in Ipswich Museum).'

54). Pre 1847 Devon Near Kingsbridge, female, obtained, winter.

(H. Nichols, jun., Zoologist 1847: 1694-1695; D'Urban & Mathew, 1895).

History H. Nichols, jun., Kingsbridge, Devon (1847) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. V.pp. 1694-1695, says: 'From seeing your circular, inviting persons to transmit you any rare occurrences relative to Natural History, suited for the pages of The Zoologist. I beg to hand you a list of rare birds which have come into my possession, and have been shot in this neighbourhood within the last seven years: - Two Little Bustards, females.'

D'Urban & Mathew (1895: 293, 2nd ed.) say: 'Two females occurred near Kingsbridge between 1840 and 1847 (H.N., Zool., 1847, 1695).

Comment I have presumed the other individual is the one that occurred in Devon in 1839.

55). Pre 1847 Norfolk Trunch, female, killed, undated, now at Castle Museum, Norwich.

(Stevenson, 1870; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 23: 24; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 27: 305).

History Stevenson (1870 (2): 43) says: 'A supposed female (No. 185a) in the Norwich museum, as shown by the donation book, was presented by Mr. William Primrose in 1847. This one is stated to have been killed at Trunch, but although the exact period of its capture is unknown, it is most likely, from its being already stuffed and "cased up" when placed in the museum, that it was procured some time prior to that event.'

H. F. Witherby (1929) in British Birds, Vol. XXIII. p. 24, says: 'It was pointed out in the Practical Handbook (Vol. II. p. 816) that the only three British specimens of the Little Bustard I had been able to examine were those in the British Museum and that these were all of the Eastern form, Otis tetrax orientalis. I have recently carefully compared, in company with Dr. B. B. Riviere, two Norfolk specimens - a female killed at Hillesdon in 1835, and a female killed at Trunch, some time prior to 1847, both of which are in the Norwich Museum, and these clearly also belong to the Eastern form.'

H. F. Witherby (1934) in British Birds, Vol. XXVII. p. 305, in a footnote, says: 'He has examined two Norfolk specimens, 1835 and before 1847, in the Norwich Museum.'

56). 1848 or 1849 Caithness Near Halkirk, female, shot, mid-June.

(R. I. Shearer, John O'Groat Journal 17th May, 1860; Shearer & Osborne, 1862; Gray, 1871; Harvie-Brown & Buckley, 1887; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; Manson, 2004; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).

History Shearer & Osborne (1862) mention Little Bustard as "very rare; once observed" in Caithness, and also that it was added to the county list by Dr. Sinclair after 1840.

Gray (1871: 250) says: 'This species is catalogued by Mr. E. S. Sinclair in his 'Birds of Caithness', and referred to by Mr. Shearer, who states in a paper communicated to the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh, that it has been only once observed in that county, but gives no particulars.'

Harvie-Brown & Buckley (1887: 209-211) say: 'The fullest and most authentic account of the capture of a bird of this species in Caithness is as follows: "Mr. John Wolley when in Wick, a year or two after 1848, was shown the bird by Dr. Sinclair, in the month of July or August. On the 8th of March 1853 Mr. Wolley wrote to Dr. Sinclair to ask him what he could recollect concerning the capture of the bird, to which Dr. Sinclair replied: and we give his reply in extenso, quoted, along with other information on the subject, from the Egg-books of Mr. John Wolley, by the kind permission of Professor Newton.

The letter is dated Wick, March 28, 1853, and proceeds as follows: "I have made every inquiry about the Little Bustard, but have been completely foiled in all my inquiries - cannot learn any one thing of her. I shall tell you how she came into my possession. One day in the middle of June 1848 or 1849 I went into the bar of the Caledonian Hotel here. Well, to my great delight and surprise, I found this rare and beautiful bird laid with some dead domestic fowls. I took it up, and walked home with it, and sent my friend, Mr. Leith, three hens for it, which he thought a good exchange.

On my further inquiry I found that she had been shot by a "poacher" in the parish of Halkirk, sixteen miles from Wick, and five miles from Thurso, or otherwise in the middle of the county; and that part of the country being very flat and swampy, with a good river running through it, I have not the least doubt but she had a nest. There is a man in that district who collects birds' eggs, and sends them south every year to particular houses, from which he gets good prices".

So much then for the authenticity of the bird.'

Admitted nationally (Witherby et al. 1940-52; Baxter & Rintoul 1953; BOU 1971). Locally, Manson (2004) places the record in square brackets, but accepted nationally for Scotland (Forrester & Andrews et al. 2007).

Comment Manson in his Introduction called it a "supposed occurrence". Harvie-Brown & Buckley had no confidence in Sinclair's collection which generally lacked adequate details.

57). 1848 Cambridgeshire Welney Wash, obtained, undated, now at Wisbech Museum.

(Lack, 1934; Bircham, 1989).

History Lack (1934: 110) says: 'One in the Wisbech Museum was obtained at Welney Washes in 1848.'

58). 1849 Herefordshire Dorstone, adult female, shot, undated, now at Hereford Museum.

(Bull, 1888; P. H. Downes, Herefordshire Ornithological Club Report 1999: 657; M. Colquhoun, Herefordshire Ornithological Club Report, 2015: 12-14).

History Bull (1888: 212) says: 'There is a specimen in the Hereford Museum from the collection of the late Mr. Moss, from Ross, who stated that it was shot in the neighbourhood of Dorstone. Nothing further is known of it.'

Accepted locally (Walker & Smith 1975: 25).

M. Colquhoun (2015) in the Herefordshire Ornithological Club Report, pp.12-14, says: 'The validity of the single Little Bustard record has been substantially increased by the finding of the stuffed bird in the museum collection; the provenance records Dorstone 1849.'

59). 1849 Oxfordshire Between Ipsden and Nettlebed, shot, undated.

(Morris, 1851-57; Aplin, 1889; Radford, 1966).

History Morris (1856 (5): 6-7) says: 'One was shot, as William Hewet, Esq., of Reading, has obligingly informed me, in 1849 on Mr. Deane's farm (English) in Oxfordshire.' Accepted locally (Aplin 1889: 142).

60). 1853 Cornwall Land's End area, four, between about 8th November and February 1854.

(E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1854: 4164, 4179; E. H. Rodd, Field 9th Feb., 1856: 86; H. Stevenson, Field 11th Dec., 1858: 478; E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1870: 2242; Harting, 1880; Penhallurick, 1978).

History E. H. Rodd of Penzance (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4164, dated 22nd November, 1853, says: 'A female bird, in excellent condition, of this interesting species was brought to me for my inspection about a fortnight since, and which had been brought in by a farmer from the Land's End district with some other birds; its value as a rare British Bird was of course unknown, and it was only accidentally observed hanging in the lobby of one of our hotels with other game, and supposed to be "a sort of mottled pheasant". Weight 1¾ lb. Previous to its capture we had a tremendous gale from the South, which, no doubt, drove the bird from the part of the continent where it is known to exist plentifully.'

E. H. Rodd of Penzance (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4179, dated 22nd December 1854, adds: 'Another specimen of the Little Bustard I observed today hanging up in a poulterer's shop in this place, and purchased it for half a crown. I was told at the time that another had been offered last evening, and four or five killed in the neighbourhood.

The wind has been from S.E. to S. for some days, and the bird has been shot some days.'

E. H. Rodd (1856) in The Field of 9th Feb., Vol. VII. p. 86, and in Morris and Bree's edition of The Naturalist, Vol. VI. p. 91, dated 1st February 1856, says: 'Although it is of rare occurrence, I have known during the last twenty years of several Cornish examples, and about two years since two were shot in this immediate neighbourhood, and a third seen. One of the above individuals I bought at a game shop in Penzance, and it was offered as a curious specimen of the Silver Pheasant.

It was a female bird, in very perfect plumage, and is now preserved in my Museum.'

H. Stevenson (1858) in The Field of 11th Dec., Vol. XII. p. 478, says: '...At the same time that I recorded the occurrence of my own specimens in The Zoologist, there appeared in that journal several other notices of this species having been shot in other counties, of which the following are the dates and localities: - At the Land's End, a female killed in November 1853.'

Harting, Editor (1880: 81) in Rodd's Birds of Cornwall, says: 'I find no notice of any other until a century later, when, in December 1853, two were brought in to a poulterer at Penzance, one of which I purchased for half-a-crown. I was informed at the time that four or five had been killed in the neighbourhood. The wind for some days had been blowing from south-east to south.'

Penhallurick (1978: 126) says: '1853. This winter there was a big influx in west Cornwall. On 22 November, Rodd reported a female in excellent condition which he had received from the Land's End area (Zoologist 1854: 4164-65). One of the birds in this invasion is probably the one from St. Just engraved by Blight in his Week at the Land's End (1876). In December Rodd bought a female in a Penzance poulterer's shop for 2s. 6d., another had been offered the previous day and both were marked up as "silver pheasants" (Royal Cornwall Gazette 30th May 1853; Zool. etc). Four or five were said to have been shot in the December. R. Q. Couch (MS) recorded one in a collection other than Rodd's and Vingoe's.'

64). 1853 Dorset Fossil Common, Winfrith, female, shot, 26th December, now at County Museum, Dorchester.

(W. Thompson, Zoologist 1854: 4253; H. Stevenson, Field 11th Dec., 1858: 478; Mansel-Pleydell, 1873; F. L. Blathwayt, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society 55: 207; W. R. Thompson, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society 62: 123; Prendergast & Boys, 1983).

History W. Thompson of Weymouth (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4253, dated 10th February, 1854, says: 'On the 26th of December a fine old female specimen was shot on Fossil Common, Winfrith, a village situated between Weymouth and Wareham; it was brought to a birdstuffer, of Weymouth, for preservation. I do not find any record of this bird having hitherto been obtained in this county, with the exception of a notice supplied me by my friend O. Pickard-Cambridge, Esq., of a female, which was shot some years since in a turnip field, at Warmwell, about five miles from Winfrith: this bird was sent to Bullock's Museum, and from thence to the British Museum.'

H. Stevenson (1858) in The Field of 11th Dec., Vol. XII. p. 478, says: '...At the same time that I recorded the occurrence of my own specimens in The Zoologist, there appeared in that journal several other notices of this species having been shot in other counties, of which the following are the dates and localities: - in Dorsetshire, a female, on December 26th, 1853, and a notice of one having been killed some years before in the same district in a turnip field.'

Mansel-Pleydell (1873: 25) says: 'Mr. Lillington shot a female on Fossil Common, Winfrith, December 26, 1853, which was seen in the flesh by Mr. Thompson.' Later, Mansel-Pleydell (1888) p. 77, says: 'In Dorsetshire, however, it must be a very rare bird, for I have not heard of more than one instance of its occurrence in the county.'

Admitted by F. L. Blathwayt (1934) in the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Vol. LV. p. 207, under 'A Revised List of the Birds of Dorset'.

W. R. Thompson (1941) in the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Vol. LXII. p. 123, under 'List of Species of Birds in the Dorset County Museum', says: 'Little Bustard - Fossil Common, Winfrith, 1853 (J.C.M.-P.).'

Comment Strange statement by Mansel-Pleydell (1888) because William Thompson mentions two records in the same note in The Zoologist. Both of the females being shot close to Winfrith, the other record was at Warmwell in 1819.

J. C. Mansel-Pleydell was the author of Birds of Dorsetshire.

65). 1853 Norfolk Near Winterton, male, shot, 29th December.

(H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1854: 4253-54; H. Stevenson, Field 11th Dec., 1858: 478; Eds., Field 24th Sep., 1887: 486; Patterson, 1905; Allard, 1990).

History H. Stevenson of Norwich (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. pp. 4253-54, dated 28th January, 1854, says: 'I had lately the pleasure of examining, in the flesh, a fine male specimen of this rare visitor; shot on the 29th December, in a turnip field, on the road leading from Winterton to Yarmouth. This bird was in good condition, the stomach being literally crammed with vegetable matter, apparently fragments of some large leaf, with a rough surface and serrated edge....at the time, however, when the present example was procured, and for some days previously, the wind was either N. or N.E.'

H. Stevenson (1858) in The Field of 11th Dec., Vol. XII. p. 478, says: '...I have in my collection a male in winter plumage, shot in a turnip field near Yarmouth on the 29th of December 1853...On dissecting my own specimen, I found the stomach literally crammed with a mass of vegetable matter, evidently, from its appearance and smell, consisting of portions of turnip leaves, mixed with other green stuff.'

Stevenson (1870 (2): 45) adds: '...a male in winter plumage, now in my possession, was shot during very severe weather. This bird which was brought to me in the flesh, was in good condition.'

In an Editorial (1887) in The Field of 24th Sep., Vol. LXX. p. 486, they say: 'On the 12th inst. Messrs. Spelman sold by auction, at Norwich, the collection of Norfolk birds formed by Mr. H. Stephenson [Stevenson], the well-known ornithologist.

Among the buyers were Mr. T. Southwell, representing the Norfolk and Norwich Museum, and Mr. Tuke, representing the Saffron Walden Museum. Among the principal lots sold during the day the following may be mentioned: Little Bustard, white plumage, taken at Winterton in 1853, £9.19s.6d.'

Comment The buyer at the auction was not specified.

66). 1854 Yorkshire Goodmanham, near Market Weighton, female, killed, 19th January, now at Yorkshire Museum, York.

(T. H. Allis, Zoologist 1854: 4254; H. Stevenson, Field 11th Dec., 1858: 478; Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History Thomas H. Allis of York (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4254, dated February, 1845, says: 'A female specimen of the Little Bustard was shot on the 19th inst., by the Rev. W. Blow, at Goodmanham, on the Yorkshire Wolds.

It has been beautifully mounted by Mr. D. Graham, of York.'

H. Stevenson (1858) in The Field of 11th Dec., Vol. XII. p. 478, says: '...At the same time that I recorded the occurrence of my own specimens in The Zoologist, there appeared in that journal several other notices of this species having been shot in other counties, of which the following are the dates and localities: - In Yorkshire, a female killed on the Wolds on February 19th, 1854.'

Accepted locally (Clarke & Roebuck 1881: 69) and Nelson (1907 (2): 558) who adds: 'Was presented by him [Rev. W. Blow] to the Rudston collection, now in the York Museum.'

Comment Although dated February 1845, it is presumably an error, as all the other notices are dated February 1854.

David Graham has now been discredited over the "Tadcaster Rarities" fraud (Melling 2005), but this would appear to be a genuine record.

67). 1854 Lincolnshire Welbourn Heath, near Lincoln, shot, 30th January.

(W. F. Foottit, Zoologist 1854: 4253; H. Stevenson, Field 11th Dec., 1858: 478; Smith & Cornwallis, 1955; Lorand & Atkin, 1989).

History W. F. Foottit of Newark, Notts. (1854) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XII. p. 4253, dated 3rd February, 1854, says: 'B. H. Brown, Esq., shot a specimen of the Little Bustard, in a turnip field, on Welbourn Heath, Lincolnshire, on the 30th of last January. He brought it to Newark to be mounted, when I had the pleasure of seeing it in the flesh.'

H. Stevenson (1858) in The Field of 11th Dec., Vol. XII. p. 478, says: '...At the same time that I recorded the occurrence of my own specimens in The Zoologist, there appeared in that journal several other notices of this species having been shot in other counties, of which the following are the dates and localities: - In Lincolnshire, one shot in a turnip-field on the 30th January, 1854, and another eight years previously.'

68). Pre 1855 Sussex Bosham, female, shot, undated.

(Knox, 1855; W. Jeffery, Hardwicke's Science Gossip 1887: 43; Borrer, 1891; Walpole-Bond, 1938).

History Knox (1855: 222, 3rd ed.) says: 'On the authority of Mr. Jenyns I have hitherto given the Little Bustard a place in this Catalogue. Vide Manual of British Vertebrate Animals, p. 176. [I have lately seen a specimen of the Little Bustard (a female) which was shot at Bosham, near Chichester, a few years ago, by Mr. Alfred Cheesman. - 3rd edition.]'

William Jeffery (1887) in Hardwicke's Science Gossip, Vol. XXIII. p. 43, says: '...A Little Bustard was killed some years ago at Bosham (Chichester district), by Mr. A. Cheesman. This was just prior to the publication of Knox's Ornithological Rambles in 1855, and is there noted.'

Borrer (1891: 201) says: 'Mr. Knox (O. R., p. 222) says: - "I have lately seen a specimen of the Little Bustard, a female, which was shot at Bosham, a few years ago, by Mr. Alfred Cheeseman".'

Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 321).

69). 1856 Lincolnshire Bilsby, near Alford, female, shot, January.

("Observer" Field 2nd Feb., 1856: 69; "Observer" Morris and Bree's Naturalist 6: 91; G. Jeans, Naturalist 1865: 290; Smith & Cornwallis, 1955; Lorand & Atkin, 1989).

History "Observer" (1856) in The Field of 2nd Feb. Vol. VII. p. 69, and in Morris and Bree's edition of The Naturalist, Vol. VI. p. 91, quoting from The Times, says: 'In passing through Alford, in Lincolnshire, a few days ago, I observed a very beautiful female specimen of this bird stuffed in a druggist's shop; upon inquiry, I ascertained that it had been shot a week or two before at Bilsby, near that town. As I had previously thought that this bird was now quite extinct in these islands, I have determined to send the fact to you for publication, for the information of those naturalists who are as ignorant as myself.'

The Rev. George Jeans (1865) in The Naturalist, Vol. I. p. 290, says: 'One was shot in a field half-a-mile from my house, in the parish of Bilsby, in the winter of 1855. It was stuffed by a man in Alford, and I wanted to procure it for the Lynn Museum but the owner would not part with it.'

70). 1858 Norfolk/Suffolk Southtown Marshes, Gorleston-on-Sea, Suffolk, adult female, shot, 4th March.

(H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1858: 6059-60; Stevenson, 1870; Patterson, 1905; Ticehurst, 1932; Allard, 1990).

History H. Stevenson of Norwich (1858) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XVI. pp. 6059-60, dated 16th March, 1858, says: 'About the 4th of March a female Little Bustard was shot in the Southtown Marshes, at Gorleston, near Yarmouth, and is now in the collection of J. H. Gurney, Esq., M.P.

This bird was in fine condition, the stomach being filled with various kinds of green food; the ovaries, about the size of small pins' heads, were easily distinguishable, from their being perfectly white; the wind at the time the bird was killed, and for some days previously, was N.E.; the weather intensely cold, with snow on the ground; in fact, exactly such as we experienced in December, 1853, when the last Norfolk specimen (a male, in winter plumage) was obtained in nearly the same neighbourhood (Zool., 4253): at that time several other specimens were recorded as having occurred in various counties about the same date.

It may not be uninteresting, in the case of so accidental a visitant to our coast, to enumerate, as far as possible, the portions of herbs and grasses which formed the contents of the stomach in this last instance. By far the larger portion consisted of a long fine grass, apparently from the marshes, having a brackish odour; and mixed with this, and matted together, was a species of Conferva from the ditches; two flowers of the common daisy (Bellis perennis) were plainly discernible, as also a narrow scalloped leaf, resembling cat's ear (Hypochaeris glabra); besides these a small fragment of some thistle and a portion of the water ranunculus (Ranunculus aquatilis) were all that could be identified.'

Ticehurst (1932: 327-328) says: 'Female, Suffolk side of Breydon, 4th March 1858 (Gurney coll.). I have examined this one and found it to be the eastern race, O. t. orientalis.'

Comment J. H. Gurney's collection passed to the Castle Museum, Norwich.

71). 1858 Lancashire & North Merseyside Thornton, near Fleetwood, shot, 15th September.

(Saunders, 1892; Oakes, 1953; White, McCarthy & Jones, 2008).

History Howard Saunders (1892: 207, 2nd ed.) in the revised edition of Mitchell's Birds of Lancashire, says: 'Mr. J. H. Swainson informs me that a specimen was shot at Thornton, near Fleetwood, on the 15th of September, 1858.'

Oakes (1953: 351) says: 'Mitchell gives insufficient details. The specimens have not been available for inspection.'

However, White, McCarthy & Jones (2008) state that given the large numbers of this species that were shot during the nineteenth century in this country, there seems little reason to doubt them.

72). 1858 Northamptonshire Rowell, near Thorpe Malsor, immature male, shot, 20th November.

(C. Maunsell, Field 4th Dec., 1858: 456; Lilford, 1895).

History Cockayne Maunsell of Thorpe Malsor, Kettering (1858) in The Field of 4th Dec., Vol. XII. p. 456, says: 'This bird which is, I believe, almost a stranger in England, few instances (if I mistake not) being on record of its having been found in the United Kingdom, was killed by my brother on Nov. 20, 1858, in a turnip field in the parish of Rowell, Northampton.

My brother and a friend were out shooting on that day, and about two o'clock, on entering a field of turnips which joined on to a stackyard and farm-buildings, a bird rose at a distance of upwards of a hundred yards, and making a semicircle in the air, settled in the field adjoining, also turnips, and in which some labourers were at work; upon which they called up the gamekeeper, and entered the field at two different points, to ensure a shot at it.

After trying the field they were on the point of giving it up, when the bird rose about thirty yards from my brother, and he killed it. The labourers had seen the bird flying all that morning, and the under-gamekeeper at Thorpe had seen a bird to all appearance similar fly past him about two miles south of where it was killed abut a week previous; but no bird like it has been seen in this neighbourhood either before or since.

On the wing it appeared very much like a small-sized wild duck (whence its other name, "field-duck"), and appeared shy, and not to know where it was going. The wings are similar in shape to a wild duck - in size it is somewhat larger than a Grouse: it is of a beautiful colour, mottled, or brown-spotted with white, the wing ferruginous brown and white lines.

It is now in the able hands of Mr. Leadbitter [sic] of Brewer Street, Golden Square, who pronounces it (from dissection) to be a young male bird. The turnip field is an indifferent crop, in the occupation of Mr. Tayler, of Rowell, and belonging to Colonel Maunsell, of Thorpe Malsor, distant not more than one mile from the village of Rowell.'

Lord Lilford (1895 (1): 350) says: 'Captain J. Borlase Tibbits, of Barton Seagrave, was good enough to inform me by letter that a young female of this species was shot by his brother, the late Rev. G. E. Maunsell, in a turnip-field on the Lordship of Rothwell, on November 20, 1858, that the bird was stuffed and mounted by Ward, and at the time of Captain Tibbits writing to me was at Thorpe Malsor.'

Comment How strange that two articles could be so differing on the taxidermist, the title of the shooter and the sex of the bird. Leadbeater & Son were taxidermists, London.

73). 1859 Cornwall Near Padstow, female, shot, early January.

(E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1859: 6446; Harting, 1880; Penhallurick, 1978).

History E. H. Rodd of Penzance (1859) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XVII. p. 6446, dated 10th February, 1859, says: 'A female Little Bustard was shot in a turnip-field very near the town of Padstow, in the early part of January last, and the fact was kindly communicated by O. G. P. Brune, Esq., of Prideaux Place, Padstow.'

Harting, Editor (1880) in Rodd's Birds of Cornwall, says: 'In the early part of January 1859, a female Little Bustard was shot in a turnip field close to the town of Padstow, as I was informed by Mr. C. G. Brime of Prideaux Place, Padstow.'

Comment Brune was related to Brime.

74). 1859 Oxfordshire Near Bagley Wood, Berkshire, immature male, shot, early October.

("R.T." Field 15th Oct., 1859: 316; M. A. Mathew, Zoologist 1859: 6780; Clark Kennedy, 1868; Aplin, 1889; Noble, 1906; Radford, 1966).

History "R.T." (1859) in The Field of 15th Oct., Vol. XIV. p. 316, says: 'A fine specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot a few days ago, in the neighbourhood of Oxford, by the Rev. F. Burgess, Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford. This occasional straggler is now in the hands of Mr. Osman, bird preserver of that city, who has pronounce it to be a young bird of the male species. The last Little Bustard on record killed in this county was shot on Denton Common, near Oxford, in December, 1833.'

M. A. Mathew of Merton College, Oxford (1859) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XVII. p. 6780, dated 11th November, 1859, says: 'I half expected some one would have recorded in The Zoologist the interesting occurrence of the Little Bustard in the neighbourhood of Oxford, at the beginning of this last October; but, as I have seen no notice of the fact in the last number of this periodical, I venture to give information respecting this by no means common visitant. The bird in question was shot (by a gentleman of St. John's College) not far from Oxford, and is a very fine specimen of a young male, which has very nearly completed its autumn moult. I saw it at the birdstuffer's just after it had been mounted.'

Clark Kennedy (1868: 183-184) says: 'One was killed in September, 1858, in Berkshire, but not far from the borders of Oxfordshire, by two of the Fellowes of St John's College, Oxford. For this addition to my list I am indebted to Mr. Dalziel Mackenzie.'

Accepted locally (Aplin 1889: 142), while Noble (1906 (1): 160) in the Victoria County History of Berkshire, adds: 'One was shot in September, 1858, by Messrs. Burgis and Meyrick, Fellows of Magdalen and St. John's, Oxford, while shooting together on one of the St. John's farms near Bagley Wood (W. D. Mackenzie in litt.).'

Comment I doubt if this species was shot two years running by a unknown person from St. John's College, so I believe that these records are one and the same.

75). Pre 1860 Essex Berechurch, shot, undated.

(C. R. Bree, Zoologist 1861: 7353; Glegg, 1929; Cox, 1984; Wood, 2007).

History C. R. Bree of Colchester (1861) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XIX. p. 7353, dated 22nd December, 1860, says: '...Dr. Maclean tells me one was shot, also close to Colchester, at Berechurch, a few years ago.'

Accepted locally (Glegg 1929; Cox 1984; Wood 2007).

76). 1860 Norfolk Castle Rising, killed, early autumn.

(Stevenson, 1870; Ticehurst, 1932).

History Stevenson (1870 (2): 46) says: 'To the Rev. C. W. Bagot, of Castle Rising, I am indebted for the notice of a specimen in his possession, which was killed in that neighbourhood early in the autumn of 1860. The sex of this bird, which was stuffed by Mr. Baker, of Downham, was not noted at the time, but like most of the specimen obtained in this county, it was killed in a turnip-field, by a gamekeeper, who mistook it, as it rose, for a young guinea-fowl.'

77). 1860 Norfolk Norton Subcourse, near Loddon, female, killed, 29th November, now at Ipswich Museum.

(H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1860: 7315; H. Stevenson, Field 22nd Dec., 1860: 519; Stevenson, 1870; Ticehurst, 1932).

History H. Stevenson of Norwich (1860) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XVIII. p. 7315, dated 12th December, 1860, says: 'A fine specimen of this rare visitant to our coast was killed on the 29th of November, at Norton, near Reedham. It proved to be a female, and, as usual with birds of this species when obtained in this country, was shot in a turnip-field, its stomach being filled with a mass of green food.'

H. Stevenson of Norwich (1860) in The Field of 22nd Dec., Vol. XVI. p. 519, says: 'Having read the very tempting list of birds under the heading, recorded in last week's Field by Mr. J. Playford....I can, however, record the occurrence of the Little Bustard, near Reedham, on the 29th of November; a fine female, shot as usual, in a turnip field, and with the stomach filled with the remains of green food.'

Stevenson (1870 (2): 46) says: 'At Norton Subcourse, near Loddon, not Reedham as I stated in The Zoologist. It was preserved by Knight of Norwich, for Mr. J. Wigg of that place. In the latter instance, although appearing during somewhat mild weather, this straggler preceded only by a week or two the intensely severe frosts of the two following months, during which time two others occurred in the adjoining counties of Suffolk and Essex.'

Ticehurst (1932: 328) says: 'I have examined this one from Norton Subcourse, Norfolk, 29th November 1860 (in Ipswich Museum), and found it to be the eastern race, O. t. orientalis.'

78). 1860 Suffolk Near Leiston, male, caught, about 10th December.

(E. Neave, Zoologist 1861: 7353; Hele, 1870; Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History Edward Neave of Leiston (1861) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XIX. p. 7353, dated 10th January, 1861, says: 'A fine male specimen of the Little Bustard was caught in a rabbit-trap in a turnip field in this vicinity, on the night of the 10th of December last, or the following night, my informant not being quite certain which of the two. It was taken alive to a farmer named Merrells, on whose land it was caught, whose intention it was to have roasted it, but a gentleman from Saxmundham called upon before he had put the culinary design into execution, and saved the bird's remains for a higher destiny.

It was sent to Ipswich and preserved, and in the meantime was made over to Mr. E. Garrett, of Aldboro', who has it now I believe. I believe this to be a very good neighbourhood for rare birds, but the poor people who generally obtained them are mostly ignorant of their value.'

Hele (1870) says: 'One of these birds, I believe, a female, was trapped at Sizewell, in the autumn of 1859. It is a very beautiful specimen, and is now in the possession of E. Garrett, Esq.'

Babington (1884-86: 114) says: 'A fine male caught in a rabbit trap in a turnip field near Saxmundham, Dec. 1860 (E. Neave in Zool. 7353). One trapped at Sizewell in autumn 1859, in possession of E. Garrett, Esq., East Ham (Hele, Ald., 105, and F. Spalding MS.).'

Ticehurst (1932: 328) says: '...male, Sizewell, 10th December 1860 (Garrett coll., recorded by Hele as autumn 1859).'

Comment It would appear that the two records mentioned by Babington are one and the same. Leiston is less than two miles from Sizewell, and Saxmundham about three miles from Leiston.

79). 1860 Essex St Osyth, female, shot, 17th December.

(C. R. Bree, Zoologist 1861: 7352-53; Christy, 1890; Glegg, 1929; Cox, 1984).

History C. R. Bree of Colchester (1861) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XIX. pp. 7352-53, dated 22nd December, 1860, says: 'A female specimen of the Little Bustard was shot on the St Osyth marshes, by Mr. Denne, of St Claire Hall, on the 17th of the present month, and was shown to me in the flesh by Mr. Cater, the bird-preserver of Priory-street, in this town, to whom it was sent to be set up.

The distal ends of the wing and tail-feathers were rubbed. Mr. Denne, who was good enough to call upon me in answer to a note of inquiry, says: that he rose the bird from among the rushes on the marsh, and that it flew into some young clover, where, an hour afterwards, having returned with his gun, he shot it. It was not at all wild. Yarrell mentions three instances of this bird having been killed in Essex. Dr. Maclean tells me one was shot, also close to Colchester, at Berechurch, a few years ago.

The locality in which the subject of the present notice was killed is close to Great Claston, one of the places mentioned by Yarrell. The bird measured full 18 inches, and was upwards of 10 inches from carpus to tip.'

Christy (1890: 230) says: 'Dr. Bree records (Zool. 1861, p. 7352) a female (still preserved at St Clere's Hall), shot on the St Osyth Marshes on Dec. 17th, 1860.'

Accepted locally (Glegg 1929: 271; Cox 1984).

80). 1860 Kent Minster, Thanet, shot, December.

(Thanet Advertiser 8th Dec., 1860; Eds., Field 15th Dec., 1860: 493).

History In an Editorial (1860) in The Field of 15th Dec., Vol. XVI. p. 493, he says: 'The Thanet Advertiser, of Dec. 8, states that a specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) has been shot at Minster by Mr. Collard.'

81). 1861 Moray & Nairn Westfield, near Elgin, Moray, female, obtained, 8th February, now at Elgin Museum.

(G. Gordon, Zoologist 1861: 7433-34; Gray, 1871; G. Sim, Scottish Naturalist 2: 204; Harvie-Brown & Buckley, 1896; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; Forrester & Andrews, 2007).

History G. Gordon of Birnie by Elgin (1861) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XIX. pp. 7433-34, dated 27th February, 1861, says: 'On the 8th inst. the gardener at Westfield, in the parish of New Spynie, and about four or five miles north-west of Elgin, discovered a Little Bustard picking turnip-tops, along with a flock of Wood Pigeons. It rose with the pigeons, but flew in a different direction. Its flight was like that of a wild duck, except that it kept its head and neck erect or at right angles to its body. Taking a circular course over a twenty-acre field, and while making off, it fell before the gardener's gun at a long distance.

It is now in the hands of the birdstuffer, and will soon have a place assigned to it in the Elgin Museum, beside the one killed near Montrose in 1833, and noticed by Mr. Yarrell. My friend, Mr. P. P. Sellar, to whom I am indebted for the above particulars, states that a few days after his gardener shot this Little Bustard another was seen two or three times, frequenting the same grounds and feeding in the turnip fields. It was very shy, and could not be approached within a couple of hundred yards.

Within the last few months Little Bustards have been found in Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk (Zool., 7315, 7352 and 7363).

On the lengthened seaboard that runs northward from these counties to the Moray Firth, other individuals of this rare species must have alighted during their migration, and the pages of The Zoologist, to which its editor solicits such notices, will, it is hoped, record that some of them have been seen or shot - most likely in turnip fields, their favourite place of resort while they visit Britain in the winter season.'

Gray (1871: 249-250) says: 'A female was obtained in Morayshire on 8th February, 1861: it was shot at Westfield, about four or five miles from Elgin, and when first seen was along with a flock of wood pigeons in a turnip field picking the tops of the plants. This bird, which is a very fine specimen, now belongs to the collection of the Elgin Museum, where I have seen and examined it.

A fourth Little Bustard [for Scotland] was seen in the same county a few days after the last mentioned bird was killed. It was observed on three or four different occasions, but was so shy that it would not admit of a nearer approach than 200 yards.'

G. Sim (1873-74) in the Scottish Naturalist Vol. II. p. 204, says: 'On the 13th November a female of the above species was shot by J. B. Munson, Esq., on the estate of Fingask, Old Meldrum.

This is the fourth on record for Scotland, one having been killed at Montrose in December 1833, one at St. Andrews 6th March, 1840, and one at Elgin 8th February, 1861

Owing to the rarity of the bird, I thought it well to take drawings of the internal structure in situ, and also measurements internal and external, the results of which, with the Editor's permission, I may lay before the readers of The Naturalist at another time.'

Accepted locally (Harvie-Brown & Buckley 1896 (2): 170). Forrester & Andrews et al. (2007 (1): 542) add: 'Although it was presented to Elgin Museum it is no longer traceable.'

82). 1861 Norfolk/Suffolk Thetford, killed, late December.

("Mid-Winter" Field 23rd Feb., 1861: 159; Stevenson, 1870; Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History "Mid-Winter" (1861) in The Field of 23rd Feb., Vol. XVII. p. 159, says: 'A very fine specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot near Thetford, Suffolk, last November, and is now in the possession of Mr. H. A. Bartlett, of The Canons. There is in that neighbourhood a large extent of warren, once the resort of many wild birds, but now, in this age of draining and improvement, only remarkable for the numbers of black and silver-grey rabbits, which have almost entirely taken the place of the common kind, and to see which running about by hundreds on a fine day is a remarkable and amusing sight.'

Stevenson (1870 (2): 46-47) says: 'Last in the list to the present time, is a specimen killed at Thetford, for the knowledge of which and the following particulars respecting it, I am indebted to my friend Mr. John Flower, of Croydon: - "It was first seen in a field adjoining Mr. Bartlett's land, about Christmas, 1861. It was shot at by some one from Thetford, and missed. It then went on to the warren, a bare tract of land of about three thousand acres, where it was caught in a rabbit-trap. Mr. Bartlett had it stuffed and gave it to his father-in-law, Mr. Fuller, of Beachamwell, at whose death, a year or two ago, it again passed into Mr. Bartlett's possession. The sex of this specimen was not ascertained, but like the rest it is of course in winter plumage. The River Thet being the boundary between the two counties, this bird was in point of fact killed in Suffolk, but having wandered from place to place before its capture, it certainly deserves notice in the present work".'

Accepted locally (Babington 1884-86: 114) and by Ticehurst (1932: 328) who says: 'One, Suffolk side of Thetford, December, 1861.'

Comment It would appear that Stevenson meant to say: Christmas 1860 as these two reports seem to be of the same record. Unless, "Mid-Winter" mixed the details of this record with the one at Loddon (Norfolk) which was killed in late November 1860. Thetford Warren is 90% in Norfolk.

83). 1862 Yorkshire Leven, near Beverley, adult female, killed, 31st January.

(W. W. Boulton, Zoologist 1862: 7938; W. W. Boulton, Field 8th Feb., 1862: 120; Cordeaux, 1872; Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History W. W. Boulton of Beverley (1862) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XX. p. 7938, dated 1st February, 1862, says: 'A fine mature female specimen of the Little Bustard was shot on Friday, the 31st of January, at Leven, in Holderness, East Riding of Yorkshire, by Mr. Hudson, gamekeeper to the Rev. Canon Wray of that place. It was feeding in a turnip field.'

W. W. Boulton (1862) in The Field of 8th Feb., Vol. XIX. p. 120, says: 'On Friday last, a fine mature specimen (female) of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot while feeding in a turnip field at Leven, near Beverley, by Mr. Hudson, gamekeeper to the Rev. Canon Wray of that place.'

Cordeaux (1872: 85) says: 'Mr. Boulton writes me that a splendid mature female, which he examined in the flesh, was shot by W. Hudson, gamekeeper, on the last day of January, 1862, in the parish of Leven. It is now in the possession of Mrs. W. Wray of that place.'

Accepted locally (Clarke & Roebuck 1881: 69; Nelson 1907 (2): 558).

84). 1864 Devon Near Start Lighthouse, female, shot, 5th February.

(H. Nicholls, jun., Zoologist 1864: 9039; D'Urban & Mathew, 1895).

History Henry Nicholls, jun., of Kingsbridge (1864) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XXII. p. 9039, dated 21st March 1864, says: 'Since this, a female specimen of the Little Bustard has been sent me by Lieut. Pearce, who shot it about a fortnight since on the high open lands adjoining the sea-coast adjacent to the Start Lighthouse.'

D'Urban & Mathew (1895, 2nd ed.) say: 'A female was shot by Lieut. Pearce, Feb. 5th, 1864, on the high open land adjoining the sea coast adjacent to the Start Lighthouse (H.N. MS. Notes, and Zool., 1864, p. 9039).'

85). 1866 Yorkshire Allerston Marshes, near Scarborough, pair, October.

(Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History Clarke & Roebuck (1881: 69) say: 'The localities from which it has been reported are: - Allerston Marshes, near Scarborough, a pair, Oct. 1866.'

Nelson (1907 (2): 558) says: 'In October 1886, a pair occurred at Allerston Marshes, near Pickering.'

Mather (1986) also quotes the year as 1886.

Comment Nelson erroneously states the year as 1886, with Mather following suite. Nelson listed it between records from 1862 and 1881 but normally listed them sequentially.

87). 1866 Nottinghamshire South Clifton, near Newark, shot, 21st December.

("H.T." Hardwicke's Science Gossip 1867: 88; Cordeaux, 1872; Whitaker, 1907).

History "H.T." (1867) in Hardwicke's Science Gossip, Vol. III. p. 88, says: 'A female specimen of this rare bird was shot by Mr. Araham [sic], of South Clifton, Notts., December 21st, 1866. The bird was purchased by Mr. Adrian, naturalist, of Monson Street, Lincoln, by whom it is being preserved.'

Cordeaux (1875: 85) says: 'Mr. Adrian, of Lincoln, had a Little Bustard, shot on the 21st of December, 1866, at South Clifton, Nottinghamshire, just beyond the Lincolnshire border, by a Mr. Abraham. He informs me that he sold this bird to F. Brooke, Esq., of Brauncewell, near Sleaford.'

Whitaker (1907) says: 'One was shot at South Clifton, on December 21st, 1856 [sic], where it was seen feeding amongst some fowls.'

Comment Whitaker (1850-1932) erroneously stated the year of occurrence as 1856.

88). 1866 Suffolk Ixworth, shot, undated.

(Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History Babington (1884-86: 114) says: 'One shot at Ixworth in 1866, by Mr. P. Potter (Bilson in Journ. Suff. Inst., 46).'

Accepted locally (Ticehurst 1932: 328).

89). 1867 Sussex Between Rottingdean and Newhaven, obtained, January.

(Booth, 1881-87; Walpole-Bond, 1938).

History Booth (1881-87 (1): unpaged) under 'Lark', says: 'The storm of January 1867 caused by far the most extensive migration of small birds I have ever witnessed in Sussex; from the summit of the cliffs between Rottingdean and Newhaven, as far as one could see inland over the Downs, these endless swarms extended for at least a mile at sea, also clouds of Larks and Starlings intermixed with other species were working west, sweeping closely over the water to avoid the force of the wind...A scarce bird not unfrequently falls into the possession of one unacquainted with its value, and the occurrence consequently remains unrecorded. Towards the latter end of the flight-time in January 1867, while Larks were still passing over the south coast, I drove along the road between Rottingdean and Newhaven to make notes on the various species moving towards the west.

After watching the passage for several hours I pulled my conveyance up at the roadside, as the daylight was commencing to fade, and proceeded to discuss a well-earned lunch: while so employed a roughly clad individual, armed with an antiquated muzzle-loader, drew up alongside, and after loafing around for a few minutes, making some remarks as to the weather and other subjects, at length broke the ice by inquiring if I would buy a French Partridge.

Not satisfied with my answer, he produced the bird, which I immediately identified as a female Little Bustard in fair plumage. On informing him that any naturalist in Brighton ought to give him far more than the price he had asked (first eighteen pence, finally dropping to a "bob"), he became suspicious and resolutely refused to carry his prize in its present condition into the town, where he imagined he might be deemed liable for killing game without a licence.

The stupid fellow evidently distrusted the advice tended; and finally sitting down on the roadside bank he plucked his bird with the greatest satisfaction, remarking, when his work was completed, that it would "make a very good supper for the missus and me".'

Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 321-322).

Comment Omitted by Borrer (1891).

90). 1868 Yorkshire North Burton, killed,undated.

(Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History Clarke & Roebuck (1881: 69) say: 'The localities from which it has been reported are: - North Burton, in 1868.'

Nelson (1907 (2): 558) says: 'At North Burton one was killed in 1868, by a boy, and is in the possession of Mr. Appleby at North Burton (T. Boynton MS.).'

91). 1869 Cornwall The Lizard, shot, 29th October.

(E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1869: 1951; E. H. Rodd, Field 6th Nov., 1869: 398; Harting, 1880; Penhallurick, 1978).

History E. H. Rodd of Penzance (1869) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. IV. p. 1951, dated 30th October, 1869, says: 'A very fine bird of this species (which from its size I should think was a male) came into the hands of Mr. Vingoe, for preservation, yesterday, from the Lizard. The plumage was entirely plain from the throat downwards, showing no traces of the crescentic black markings which characterize the male in summer plumage. The roseate tint which pervades the basal parts of the feathers and the down on the back and breast next to the skin quite equal in intensity the under plumage of the Roseate Tern. The Lizard district has afforded both bustards to the Cornish Fauna: the Great Bustard in my Museum had been obtained from that neighbourhood.'

E. H. Rodd (1869) in The Field of 6th Nov., Vol. XXXIV. p. 398, says: 'At long and uncertain intervals we are visited with this beautiful bustard (Otis tetrax), and The Lizard land has now afforded examples of both the Great and Little Bustard. The present specimen is much larger than one which I procured from the Land's End, and I therefore consider it may be a male; but there are no signs of the black gorgets; indeed, I never remember seeing a specimen, except after the autumnal moult.'

Harting, Editor (1880) in Rodd's Birds of Cornwall, says: 'A very fine specimen, probably a male from its size, was shot near the Lizard on the 29th October 1869, and was forwarded to Mr. Vingoe for preservation. The plumage was uniformly coloured from the throat downwards, showing no traces of the crescentic black markings which characterise the male bird in summer plumage. A roseate tint pervaded the basal portion of the feathers and the down upon the back and breast, similar in tone to that with which the plumage of the under parts in the Roseate Tern is suffused.'

92). c. 1872 Somerset Sedgemoor, female, shot, undated.

(W. Fox, Field 13th July 1907: 53; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148; H. Tetley, British Birds 32: 199; Somerset Ornithological Society, 1988; Ballance, 2006).

History W. Fox of Pitney Rectory, Langport (1907) in The Field of 13th July, Vol. CX. p. 53, says: 'There is in the possession of a small farmer of my acquaintance a well preserved specimen of a female Little Bustard, which was shot on Sedgemoor about thirty-five years ago (1872). I do not think that the Little Bustard has been reported in any published list of the birds of Somerset, and as it is an undoubted specimen killed in the county it ought, I think, to be recorded.'

[So far as we remember, the first mention of the occurrence of a Little Bustard in Somersetshire was made in The Field on Nov. 3, 1894, by Mr. H. Stone, of Drayton, in that county, who reported that one of these birds was shot on a neighbouring moor on the previous Oct. 19. It was a hen bird, measuring 20 in. in length, and weighing 2 lb. 2 oz.

In The Field of Jan. 14, 1871, Mr. Harting reported that he had seen a Great Bustard in September, 1870, on Shapwick Peat Moor, between Highbridge and Wells, and as one was soon afterwards (Dec. 31, 1870) reported to have been shot in the adjoining county of Devon it was conjectured to have been the same bird. - Ed.]

Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899', who say: 'The Rev. W. Fox reported that a female, previously unrecorded, was shot on Sedgemoor about 1872, and was now in the possession of a small farmer (Field, 13.vii.07).'

H. Tetley (1938) in British Birds, Vol. XXXII. p. 199, admits this as one of three previous occurrences for Somerset.

93). 1873 Hampshire Near Whitchurch, female, shot, 4th January, now at Natural History Museum, Tring.

(R. B. Sharpe, Field 18th Jan., 1873: 51; H. Reeks, Zoologist 1873: 3491; Kelsall & Munn, 1905).

History R. Bowdler Sharpe of the British Museum (1873) in The Field of 18th Jan., Vol. XLI. p. 51, says: 'The British Museum has lately received a female specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax), which has been kindly presented by Mr. W. McMorland, of Chislehurst.

It was shot by Mr. Martin Gunn, of the Acacias, Marlborough Road, Putney, who has addressed to me the following account of its capture: "It was shot on Saturday last (Jan. 4) in a turnip field on Mr. Twitchen's farm at Whitchurch, in Hampshire. It had been blowing a gale on Friday, which may account for the bird being found there".'

[The Little Bustard is a winter visitant to the British Islands. More than forty instances of its occurrence in England are known to us; but in Scotland it is much rarer. - Ed.]

Henry Reeks of East Woodhay (1873) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. VIII. p. 3491, says: 'A female specimen of the Little Bustard was shot on the 4th of January in a turnip-field on the farm of Mr. Twitchen, at Whitchurch, near Andover, and has since been presented to the collection of the British Museum, as recorded by Mr. R. B. Sharpe in The Field of January 18th. Mr. Twitchen has himself informed of the correctness of the date of this capture.'

Kelsall & Munn (1905: 279) correct his name to Mr. Twitchin.

94). 1873 North-east Scotland Fingask, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, female, shot, 13th November.

(G. Sim, Scottish Naturalist 2: 204; Anon., Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Glasgow 2: 241; H. M. Drummond Hay, Scottish Naturalist 8: 372; Sim, 1903; Phillips, 1997).

History George Sim (1873-74) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. II. p. 204, says: 'On the 13th November a female of the above species was shot by J. B. Munson, Esq., on the estate of Fingask, Old Meldrum [Aberdeenshire]. This is the fourth on record for Scotland, one having been killed at Montrose in December, 1833, one at St Andrews 6th March, 1840, and one at Elgin 8th February, 1861.

Owing to the rarity of the bird, I thought it well to take drawings of the internal structure in situ, and also measurements internal and external, the results of which, with the Editor's permission, I may lay before the readers of The Naturalist at another time.'

Anon. (1874) in the Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Glasgow, Vol. II. pp. 241-242, at a meeting held on 23rd December 1873, it says: 'Mr. John A. Harvie-Brown, corresponding member, exhibited a specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax), obtained near Old Meldrum, Aberdeenshire, on the 13th November last. Mr. Harvie-Brown stated that he was indebted to Mr. George Sim, naturalist, Aberdeen, for being able to exhibit this fine specimen of the Little Bustard, which proved on dissection to be a female.

Mr. Sim had also transmitted careful notes and measurements, which he was sure would prove interesting to the ornithological members of the Society. The mere acquisition of skins of such rare species should not be the sole aim of collectors. By accumulating these, without keeping notes of habits and measurements, etc., in many cases they are depriving science of interesting observations, instead of, as they suppose, furthering the cause. He hoped that, in future, as careful notes would be taken of any rare and interesting species which might come into the hands of local naturalists.

The measurements are given by Mr. Sim as follows: - Weight, 1 lb. 7¼ oz.; length, 16½ inches; expanse of wings, 34¾ inches. Rectum - 6½ inches; breadth when pressed flat, ½ inch. Caecum - 14½ inches; breadth in middle, 1 inch. Gizzard - length 2½ inches; breadth in middle, ⅜ inch. Alimentary canal in toto, 4 feet. Proventriculis - Length, 1 inch; breadth in middle, ⅞ inch; thickness of walls, ¼ inch; coated with a thick mucous membrane internally. Gizzard - ⅛ inch in thickness; the inner lining hard and rough; posterior half formed into longitudinal furrows; anterior, into confused wrinkles. Tail - composed of 18 feathers; not 16, as stated by Macgillivray.'

H. M. Drummond Hay (1885-86) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. VIII. p. 372, in the 'Report of the East of Scotland Union', admits this record.

Sim (1903: 166) says: 'A female was shot by Mr. J. B. Manson, on the estate of Fingask, Oldmeldrum, November 13th, 1873. It was sent to me. The bird was in fair condition; its stomach was filled with turnip-tops, and its weight was 1 lb. 7¼ ounces.'

Witherby et al. (1940-52) and BOU (1971) only include one Aberdeen record (presumably the 1935 one), but this is included without details by (Baxter & Rintoul 1953; Phillips 1997).

95). 1874 Norfolk Tilney St Lawrence, near King's Lynn, adult female, killed, 2nd December.

(T. E. Gunn, Zoologist 1875: 4340, H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1875: 4369, A. C. Smith, Zoologist 1875: 4421-22; H. Stevenson, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 2: 67; Riviere, 1930).

History H. Stevenson of Norwich (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X. p. 436, dated 22nd January, 1875, says: 'On the 2nd of December a specimen of this rare straggler, was shot out of a field of coleseed at Tilney St Lawrence, near Lynn, and was sent to Norwich to be stuffed. It proved to be a female, the eggs about the size of pin-heads, and the stomach contained only a small quantity of vegetable matter.'

Henry Stevenson (1874-79) in the Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society, Vol. II. p. 67, says: 'On the 2nd of December a specimen of this rare straggler, now in the possession of Captain Bagge, was shot out of a field of coleseed at Tilney St Lawrence, near Lynn, and was sent to Norwich to be stuffed. It proved to be a female, the eggs about the size of pin-heads, and the stomach contained only a small quantity of vegetable matter.'

T. E. Gunn (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X, p. 4340, dated 9th January 1875, says: 'I have to record the occurrence and capture of a fine adult female specimen of the Little Bustard in Norfolk. The bird in question came to hand on the 7th of December, from Capt. R. S. Bagge, of Gaywood Hall, King's Lynn, for whose collection it is now being preserved. Capt. Bagge, in reply to my enquiries, kindly informed me it was killed by Mr. Gregory in a field of cole-seed in the parish of Tilney All Saints, West Norfolk, on the 2nd of December. The bird was in good feather and condition.

Yarrell (Vol. II. p. 306, 1st ed.) says that the base of the feathers in a Great Bustard shot in 1838 were of a delicate rose colour. I do not find any record of the prevalence of this colour in the plumage of the Little Bustard. In skinning the above named specimen, I found this delicate rose tint prevailing in the base of its feathers, excepting in those of the head and neck. Although previous authors have apparently failed to notice this fact, or probably passed it over as unimportant, and Yarrell mentions it as though it were a solitary instance, I am of opinion that this colouring is usual in both species.

Perhaps some correspondent of The Zoologist who may have an opportunity of examining a bustard in the fresh state, will examine it and see if this tint prevails.

The following are the markings, dimensions and weight of the specimen under consideration: - Iris deep yellow; legs dull yellowish grey; beak dark horn, dull yellowish at base of both mandibles. Length, tip of beak to end of tail, 18 inches; extended wings, to tip of each, 36½ inches; wing, carpal joint to tip, 10 inches; tibia, 4 inches; tarsus, 2¾ inches; middle toe and claw, 1⅝ inches; outer toe and claw, 1⅛ inches; inner toe and claw, 1 inch; tail, 5 inches; beak - length, 1 inch; beak - width at base, seven sixteenths of an inch; weight 12½ oz. On dissection, it showed a full ovary of eggs, in size equal to ordinary pins' heads, and its stomach was quite distended with vegetable matter, consisting of leaves of turnip-tops and some herbs. Yarrell assimilates the flavour of the flesh to that of a young hen Pheasant: I had the breast of the example roasted, and it reminded me of a mixture of Red Grouse and Pheasant.'

Alfred Charles Smith of Yatesbury Rectory, Calne (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X. p. 4421-22, dated 19th February 1875, says: 'The occurrence of a specimen of the Little Bustard in the parish of Tilney All Saints, in West Norfolk, in December last, as recorded in The Zoologist for February last (s.s. p. 4340), is somewhat remarkable, inasmuch as it proves another instance of the mysterious attraction which certain localities seem to possess for certain of the rarer stragglers of the feathered race to our shores.

96). 1874 Cornwall St Keverne, killed, c. 20th December.

(E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1875: 4339; E. H. Rodd, Field 2nd Jan., 1875: 16; Anon., Royal Cornwall Gazette 9th Jan., 1875; H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1875: 4369; Harting, 1880; H. E. Dresser, Zoologist 1885: 232; Penhallurick, 1978).

History E. H. Rodd of Penzance (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X. p. 4339, dated 27th December, 1874, says: 'The only rare bird that has come under my notice in this district, during the present winter, is the Little Bustard, which was killed from a field of turnips last week. The bird was in the same state of plumage as all those I have noticed in this westerly district, and which have always occurred in the winter.'

E. H. Rodd (1875) in The Field of 2nd Jan., Vol. XLV. p. 16, says: 'A specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tertrax) was shot in a turnip field near The Lizard last week. I have not seen one of these birds for some years, but they turn at uncertain periods in the Land's End district. In the present specimen there was no deviation from the usual coloration observed in the winter season.'

Anon (1875) in the Royal Cornwall Gazette of 9th January 1875, p. 4, says: 'The Little Bustard has made its appearance in Cornwall. Some years have passed since it was last obtained. It is a bird of very handsome plumage, from the peculiar undulating character of the markings, and lines of the dorsal plumage, which are alternate in shades of buff, orange, grey and black. The underparts are white, elegantly spotted with round dark-brown spots. This bird varies considerably in its seasonal plumage. In the summer the neck is jet black, bordered below with a crescentic bar of white, which goes across the breast. In winter these markings give way to a general buff-yellow, more or less striated with light brown.

The species is not known to have visited our islands in the summer; consequently, the summer plumage is unknown except from foreign skins. This specimen was killed by Mr. E. J. Leverton, at St. Keverne; it was first observed in a turnip field; and it may be seen at Mr. Vingoe's museum, Penzance, where it has been set up.'

Harting, Editor (1880: 81) in Rodd's Birds of Cornwall, adds: 'During the third week of December 1874 another Little Bustard was killed near the Lizard, out of turnips, which always seem attractive to those birds. It was in the same state of plumage as those previously observed, all being in their winter garb.'

H. E. Dresser of Farnborough, Kent (1885) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. IX. p. 232, says: 'When at Penzance, in November last, I was told by Mr. Vingoe, the birdstuffer, that a Doctor at Truro possessed a specimen of Bartram's Sandpiper shot by his brother at the Lizard (as already recorded in The Zoologist), but he could not remember the name of the Doctor. When at Truro some days afterwards, I called on the various Doctors resident in that city, and after one or two unavailing visits I found the bird in the possession of Dr. H. S. Leverton, 68, Lemon Street...In the same room at Dr. Leverton's I saw in another case a very fine female of the Little Bustard, Otis tetrax, also killed in Cornwall.'

97). 1874 Essex Walton-on-the-Naze, two, shot, 28th December.

(C. T. Townsend, Zoologist 1875: 4339-40; J. A. Lockwood, Field 2nd Jan., 1875: 16; H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1875: 4369-70; J. E. Taylor, Hardwicke's Science Gossip 1875: 41; Glegg, 1929; Cox, 1984; Wood, 2007).

History C. T. Townsend of Ipswich (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X. pp. 4339-40, in a letter to Mr. J. Alfred Lockwood, says: 'During my stay here, since the 24th of December, a pair of the Small Bustard have been shot on the Walton Hall estate. A female was killed at Harwich in January, 1823; a second was killed at Little Clacton in the winter of 1824, and a third at Chelmsford.'

J. Alfred Lockwood of Hanover Square, London (1875) in The Field of 2nd Jan., Vol. XLV. p. 16, dated 30th December, says: 'From a letter received this morning from Mr. C. T. Townsend, Norwegian and Swedish consul at Ipswich, and who is at present staying at Walton-on-the-Naze, I beg to send you the following extracts: - "During my stay here since the 24th inst., a pair of those rare birds the Small Bustard (Otis tetrax) has been shot on the Walton Hall estate by Mr. John Eagle, I cannot learn that a specimen of this bird has been seen in this neighbourhood within the recollection of any person now here.

Bewick mentions that three specimens have been obtained in this county (Essex) - one in his own collection, a female, killed at Harwich in Jan., 1823; a second was killed at Little Clacton in the winter of 1824; and a third at Chelmsford".'

H. Stevenson of Norwich (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X. pp. 4369-70, dated 22nd January 1875, says: '...and in the same paper [The Field] is a notice of two more killed at Walton-on-the-Naze, of which, through the kindness of a correspondent at Ipswich, I am able to supply the following particulars.

They were shot from a field of turnips and cabbages, near Walton-on-the-Naze, by Mr. Eagle, of Walton Hall, who sent them on the 29th of December, in a perfectly fresh state, to a birdstuffer at Ipswich, and probably therefore they were killed on the previous day. Mr. Eagle appears to have shot one in the morning when looking for game, and finding after he reached home that the kind was a rarity, he went back to the same field, where he flushed and killed a second. A third is said to have been seen since in the same neighbourhood. The bodies were eaten, and are said to have been "exceedingly good"; but I do not understand that the sex was determined by dissection. They were, of course, like the others, in full winter plumage.

From the appearance of these five birds between the first and last week of December, it seems likely that a small flock alighted somewhere upon our southern coast, and from thence became dispersed.'

J. E. Taylor, Editor (1875) in Hardwicke's Science Gossip, Vol. XI. p. 41, says: 'Late in December, during the extremely cold weather, a pair of those very rare birds, the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax), were shot at Walton, in Suffolk. Both the birds were females.'

Accepted locally as two individuals (Wood 2007: 223).

Comment The five refer to one in Cornwall, one in Norfolk and three in Essex. However, two of the three Essex individuals are on the flimsiest of evidence and were possibly not seen by a competent authority.

99). 1875 Isle of Wight Hale Farm, near Arreton, adult female, shot, 2nd January, now at Horniman Museum, London (NH.83.3/236).

("W.J." Field 16th Jan., 1875: 46; E. Newman, Zoologist 1875: 4339; Kelsall & Munn, 1905; Hart MS.).

History "W.J." (1875) in The Field of 16th Jan., Vol. XLV. p. 46, and in The Zoologist (1874) 2nd series, Vol. IX. p. 4339, quoting from The Field, of 16th January, 1875, p. 46, says: 'As Mr. Henry Jacob, of Royal Cliff, Sandown, with his friend, Mr. Horace Langdale, of Compton Vicarage, were shooting snipes on Hale Farm, on the 2nd instant, they observed a Little Bustard feeding in a turnip field, and, after flushing it two or three times, managed to secure it. The bird was in winter plumage, and appeared to be an adult female. It has been sent to Mr. Brayley, of Ryde, for preservation. Have many specimens been killed in the island?'

[We believe this to be the first recorded occurrence of the Little Bustard in the Isle of Wight. In Venables' Guide to the island, to which Mr. A. G. More contributed an appendix on the ornithology, no mention of this bird is made. - Ed.]

Kelsall & Munn (1905: 279) add: 'It is now in the collection of Mr. Langdale, the gentleman who shot it.'

Hart writing in May 1927 states that this cased adult female was shot on 2nd January 1875 at Arreton by the Rev. H. M. Langdale who presented it to me.

100). 1875 Cornwall Near Looe, killed, 9th January.

(S. Clogg, Zoologist 1875: 4339; Harting, 1880; Penhallurick, 1978).

History Stephen Clogg (1875) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. X. p. 4339, undated, says: 'A Little Bustard was shot in the parish of St. Martin's, near Looe, on the 9th January. I believe it to be a female: it is in excellent winter plumage. Seeing you have a note from Mr. Rodd of a recent occurrence of the Little Bustard near Penzance, I think it unnecessary to make any remarks on the appearance of so rare a bird, but give an extract from a note I received from the person who was so fortunate as to shoot it: - "I was surprised to see the bird run; it would, I should say, run almost as fast as a pheasant, and at the same time standing perfectly erect. When fairly on the wing it piped similarly to a Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria, but with longer and louder notes; it did not fly fast, but moved its wings very rapidly".'

Harting, Editor (1880) in Rodd's Birds of Cornwall, mentions the same story.

101). 1875 Suffolk Near Kennet, shot, January.

(Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History Babington (1884-86: 114) says: 'Shot near Kennet, Jan., 1875 (Bilson).' Accepted locally (Ticehurst 1932: 328).

102). 1876 Suffolk Near Kennet, shot, October.

(Babington, 1884-86; Ticehurst, 1932).

History Babington (1884-86: 114) says: 'Shot near Kennet Oct., 1876 (Tearle MS.).' Accepted locally (Ticehurst 1932: 328).

103). 1876 Co. Durham Harton, South Shields, female, shot, December.

(Hancock, MS.; Bolam, 1912; Temperley, 1951).

History Bolam (1912) says: 'Many years ago, the late Mr. Richard Howse informed me that a specimen, preserved by Mr. W. R. Pape, the well-known gunmaker of Newcastle, had been obtained near South Shields, where he had himself seen it in the flesh, in or about the year 1860, and this information Mr. Victor Pape, son of the above named gentleman, has recently confirmed, telling me that the bird was shot on a field at Marsden, by Mr. William Sisterton.'

Temperley (1951) says: 'In Hancock's own copy of his Catalogue the following MS. note occurs: "A specimen of this bird was shot at Harton, near South Shields, in December 1876, by a Mr....Bates, the bird stuffer, had it brought to him to improve in the stuffing. The specimen was in the plumage of the female. I saw the bird at the Museum when it was brought for me to look at by Mr. Bates on Friday, 9th March, 1877".

In 1935 Mr. W. R. Pape, of Newcastle, presented a specimen of the Little Bustard to the Natural History Society. All the information given with it was that it had been shot at Marsden by William Sisterson "about 1860". It is just possible that this is the bird seen by Hancock in 1877, as Harton and Marsden are adjacent parishes and "about 1860", at this distance of time, would not be a bad guess for 1876. Unfortunately Hancock did not fill in the blank that he left for the name of the man who had shot the bird which he saw....The specimen in the Hancock Museum is faded and it is therefore now impossible to say definitely to which sub-species it belongs.'

104). c. 1877 Surrey Wire Mill, near East Grinstead, shot, undated.

(Knipe, 1916; Walpole-Bond, 1938; des Forges & Harber, 1963; Wheatley, 2007).

History Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 322) says: 'Our succeeding specimen was shot at Wiremill, near East Grinstead, about the year 1877 (Tunbridge Wells and Neighbourhood (1916), p. 190).'

However, Wheatley (2007: 257) adds that Wire Mill has always been in Surrey!

Comment Omitted by Borrer (1891).

105). 1878 Norfolk Caister-on-Sea, adult female, obtained, 12th September.

(T. E. Gunn, Zoologist 1880: 51; H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1880: 330; F. W. Frohawk, Field 19th Nov., 1925: 879; Allard, 1990).

History T. E. Gunn (1880) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. IV. p. 51, says: 'An adult female Little Bustard was shot at Caistor [sic], two miles north of Yarmouth, on September 12th, and came into my possession. I found its stomach filled with green food, consisting of leaves and tops of plants. The ovary contained some eggs as large as millet seed. In total length it measured 18 inches; in the wing, from the carpal joint, nearly 10 inches; and across its fully extended wings to tip of each, 36 inches; the tail, 4½ inches; middle toe and claw, 1½ inch; outer toe and claw, 1⅛ inch; inner toe and claw, 1 inch; bill along the ridge of upper mandible, 1⅛ inch; tibia, 3¾ inches; tarsus, 2⅝ inches; iris, yellow; weight, 1 lb. 11 oz. It is rather remarkable that nearly all the specimens of the Little Bustard which have occurred in Norfolk of late years have proved to be females.'

Henry Stevenson (1880) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. IV. p. 330, acknowledges the above.

F. W. Frohawk (1925) in The Field of 19th Nov., Vol. CXLVI. p. 879, says: 'On November 10th last, the disposal took place at Stevens' Auction Rooms, Covent Garden, of the first portion of the very remarkable collection of British birds, formed by the late Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe, Bart., during about fifty years of his life....Little Bustard, shot at Caistor [sic], near Yarmouth, September, 1878, made £3.7s.6d.'

106). 1879 Hampshire Near Portsmouth Harbour, shot, 9th January.

(M. Dexter, Field 25th Jan., 1879: 91; Kelsall & Munn, 1905).

History M. Dexter of Southsea (1879) in The Field of 25th Jan., Vol. LIII. p. 91, says: 'While shooting on the 9th inst., near Portsmouth Harbour, between Gosport and Fareham, I flushed and shot a strange bird, which proved to be a Little Bustard. It was in fine condition, and is now in the hands of a local taxidermist for preservation.'

Accepted locally quoting from the above reference (Kelsall & Munn 1905: 279).

107). 1879 Norfolk Potter Heigham, female, shot, 14th February.

(H. Stevenson, Zoologist 1879: 154; H. Stevenson, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 2: 594; Riviere, 1930).

History H. Stevenson (1879) in The Zoologist, 3rd series. Vol. III. p. 154, says: 'February. A female bird of this species, now in the possession of Mr. H. M. Upcher, was shot at Potter Heigham on the 14th.'

Henry Stevenson (1874-79) in the Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society, Vol. II. p. 594, says: 'February. Little Bustard. A female, now in the possession of Mr. H. M. Upcher, was shot at Potter Heigham on the 14th.'

108). 1879 Sussex Near Eastbourne, shot, 11th December.

(M. Spiller, Field 20th Dec., 1879: 848; M. Spiller, Zoologist 1880: 110; Borrer, 1891; Walpole-Bond, 1938).

History Martin Spiller of the Devonshire Club, Eastbourne (1879) in The Field of 20th Dec., Vol. LIV. p. 848, and (1880) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. IV. p. 110, says: 'On December 11th last I shot a Little Bustard at Eastbourne. This rare and beautiful bird is the only specimen known to have been shot in the county of Sussex during the last century. The bird was in good condition; weight 2 lbs. 1 oz. It is now in the care of Mr. Swaysland, of Brighton, who will be pleased to allow any person to view the same.'

[It is a mistake to suppose that none have been killed in Sussex for a century. See Knox's Ornithological Rambles. - Ed.]

Accepted locally (Borrer 1891: 202; Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 322).

Comment Although in the hands of Swaysland, who has been discredited (A. H. J. Harrop, British Birds 112: 89-98), I do not think there has been a fraud committed here.

109). 1880 Devon Near North Tawton, female, killed, 6th December.

(G. F. Mathew, Zoologist 1881: 58-59; D'Urban & Mathew, 1895).

History Gervase F. Mathew (1881) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. V. pp. 58-59, says: 'On the 17th December I was in Barnstaple, and, according to my usual custom, went into the shop of Rowe, the gunmaker and birdstuffer, to enquire if any uncommon birds had been brought to him lately. He told me he had just stuffed a Little Bustard, which had been shot on the 6th December near North Tawton, by Mr. W. D. Salter. I went up to the workshop, and was there pleased to see a very fine and well-stuffed female specimen of this scarce bird.

Mr. Rowe was unable to give me any information as to how it was obtained, so the next day I wrote to Mr. Salter, and asked him if he would kindly furnish me with the particulars of its capture, and the following is an extract from the letter I received from him in reply: - "I was riding through my turnip-field, looking at my sheep, when I flushed the bird. I did not see it until it was on the wing. It flew three or four gun-shots and then pitched again in the same field. I was leaving the field when a foxhound puppy, which was in the next field with one of my men, caught sight of me and came galloping through the turnips towards me and put up the bird again, and it flew back to about the same spot from whence it first rose. I then trotted home, a distance of about a mile, where I was detained about some twenty minutes, got my gun, and returned to the turnip-field. The bird was then sitting down, apparently resting; it was very tame, and let me get within easy shot without moving. I had not the least idea what it was, but from a description in a book I concluded it was a female Little Bustard or a young male. I should like to know which, if you will kindly tell me.

Some men who were ploughing, a field or two off due east, saw it fly over a short time before I first flushed it. It was then about half a gun-shot high, and they told me it was flying or skimming something like a hawk. It passed very close to them. I concluded myself it had had a long flight, and had stopped to feed in the turnips and rest.

The weather was fine, and, as far as I can remember, the wind was south-west, but not a strong wind. When I rose the bird its flight seemed rather laboured, or, as I thought, like a bird not accustomed to flying very much...The field in which I killed it is within a quarter of a mile of the town of North Tawton, and with no uncultivated ground near it".

Since receiving this letter another example of the Little Bustard, a female, has been obtained in the neighbourhood of Braunton, and has also been preserved by Mr. Rowe. I had the pleasure of seeing both the birds together, and they make a beautiful pair. My brother, the Rev. Murray A. Mathew, has had the good fortune to add this second bird to his collection.'

110). 1880 Devon Braunton Burrows, female, killed, 23rd December.

(W. Jeffery, Zoologist 1881: 53-54; D'Urban & Mathew, 1895).

History William Jeffery (1881) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. V. pp. 53-54, undated, says: 'About the 23rd [December] a Little Bustard was observed near Barnstaple, North Devon, and taken to the shop of Mr. Rowe, taxidermist, of that town, by whom it was preserved. It was killed in the same locality as that in which several Great Bustards were shot at the time of their immigration in 1871.'

Gervase F. Mathew (1881) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. V. p. 59, says: '...Since receiving this letter another example of the Little Bustard, a female, has been obtained in the neighbourhood of Braunton, and has also been preserved by Mr. Rowe. I had the pleasure of seeing both the birds together, and they make a beautiful pair. My brother, the Rev. Murray A. Mathew, has had the good fortune to add this second bird to his collection.'

111). c. 1881 Yorkshire Scarborough, undated.

(Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History Nelson (1907 (2): 558) says: 'A specimen in the possession of Mr. P. Hawkridge was taken near Scarborough "a few years ago" (A. Roberts, MS. 1881).'

112). 1882 Essex Between Ramsey and Little Oakley, seen, 21st November.

(F. Kerry, Zoologist 1883: 119-120; Babington, 1884-86; Glegg, 1929; Ticehurst, 1932; Cox, 1984).

History F. Kerry of Harwich (1883) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. VII. pp. 119-120, says: 'A Little Bustard was seen on the 21st November. It frequented the large fields of Ramsey and Little Oakley for more than a week, and escaped the many attempts to shoot it.'

Comment Locality is in Essex although authors of Birds of Suffolk have accepted it.

113). 1882 Cornwall Trevone, Padstow, immature, shot, about 22nd November.

(J. Gatcombe, Zoologist 1883: 165; "Isay" Field 20th Jan., 1883: 90; Penhallurick, 1978).

History John Gatcombe (1883) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. VII. p. 165, says: 'On the 23rd [November] I examined a Little Bustard which had been sent up from Trevone, near Padstow, Cornwall. It was a bird of the year, and its stomach contained a large mass of turnip-leaf, unmixed with gravel or stones. The last Cornish specimen mentioned by the late Mr. Rodd, on the authority of Mr. Stephen Clogg, was killed in the parish of St. Martin, near Looe, on January 9th, 1875.'

"Isay" (1883) in The Field of 20th Jan., Vol. LXI. p. 90, says: 'On Nov. 23 a Little Bustard was shot about a mile from Padstow. It got up out of a marigold field; the birdstuffer pronounces it a young bird.'

[In Rodd's Birds of Cornwall several specimens of the Little Bustard are noticed as having occurred in Cornwall in winter. One of these was shot in a turnip field close to the town of Padstow in January, 1859. - Ed.]

114). 1883 Shropshire Edgmond Marsh, female, shot, spring, now at Ludlow Museum (Acc. No. SHYMS: Z/2006/159).

(Forrest, 1899; Forrest, 1908; Rutter, Gribble & Pemberyon, 1964; Smith et al., 2019).

History Forrest (1899: 158) says: 'Another rare bird that has occurred once only in Shropshire, at Edgmond, in the spring of 1883. This specimen was sent by Mr. Paddock to Mr. Beckwith, and is still at Radbrook.'

H. E. Forrest (1908 (1): 179) in the Victoria County History of Shropshire, says: 'A female specimen obtained at Edgmond in the spring of 1883 is still in the collection of the late Mr. Beckwith. It was shot by a labourer on a field.'

Smith et al. (2019) state that this specimen has been in the Shropshire Museums since 1905, being currently at the Ludlow Museum Resouce Centre (SHYMS: Z/2006/159).

115). 1884 Anglesey Llanbabo, shot, 9th December.

(W. E. Eyre, Field 20th Dec., 1884: 843; Forrest, 1907; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994).

History Walpole E. Eyre of Bryngolen, Holyhead (1884) in The Field of 20th Dec., Vol. LXIV. p. 843, says: 'When out shooting in Anglesea on Dec. 9 we obtained a beautiful specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax). It was found in a turnip field, and appeared exceedingly tame, its peculiar flight, resembling that of a duck, being very remarkable. I conclude this is the only instance of this rare bird being obtained in this part of Wales. It is now in the hands of Mr. Williams, 2, Dame Street, Dublin, for preservation.'

Forrest (1907) says: 'In The Field, of 20th December, 1884, Mr. Walpole E. Eyre, records a Little Bustard shot in a turnip field in Anglesey on 9th December, 1884. In a letter he informs me that this was at Llanbabo, Anglesey.'

116). 1885 Essex Marsh Farm, Tillingham, female, shot, early September.

(R. Ward, Field 19th Sept., 1885: 423; Christy, 1890; Glegg, 1929; Cox, 1984).

History Rowland Ward of 166, Piccadilly (1885) in The Field of 19th Sept., Vol. LXVI. p. 423, says: 'A female specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) has just come to hand for preservation, having been shot at Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, by Mr. Robert Page.'

Christy (1890: 231) says: 'A female was shot on the Marsh Farm, Tillingham, by Mr. Robert Page early in September, 1885. It is still in his possession.' While Glegg (1929: 271-272) adds: 'It was sold for £4, at the Tillingham Hall sale, on 27th September 1911.'

117). 1885 East Glamorgan Gileston, female, shot, 19th November.

(H. Morgan, Field 28th Nov., 1885: 776; D. S. W. Nicholl, Zoologist 1889: 169; T. W. Proger & D. R. Paterson, Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society 1903: 131; J. F. Thomas, British Birds 32: 199; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994).

History Hanmer Morgan of St Athan Rectory, Cowbridge (1885) in The Field of 28th Nov., Vol. LXVI. p. 776, says: 'You may think it of sufficient interest to notice the occurrence of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) in this country. It was shot by Mr. John Williams on my glebe on Nov. 19, and has been forwarded to Messrs. R. Ward and Co., of Piccadilly, for preservation.'

D. S. W. Nicholl of Cowbridge (1889) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XIII. p. 169, says: 'On November 19th, 1885, a female example of the Little Bustard was obtained near Gileston, and is now in the collection of the Rev. H. Morgan-Stratford, Rector of St. Athan. This is the only example that I have known to occur in Glamorganshire.'

T. W. Proger & D. R. Paterson (1903) in the Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society, Vol. XXXVI. p. 131, under 'Notes by the late Rev. H. Morgan-Stratford', say: 'Shot by John Williams, in the Nine Acres, Gileston, on November 19th, 1885, and picked up on the 21st by Sam Howe on the Nine Acres behind the Cot at Laleston [sic].'

J. F. Thomas (1938) in British Birds, Vol. XXXII. p. 199, admits this as one of two previous occurrences in South Wales.

118). 1885 Norfolk/Suffolk Bradwell, Suffolk, shot, 26th November.

(Babington, 1884-86; W. Pycraft, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 4: 459; Allard, 1990).

History Babington (1884-86: 253) says: 'One shot at Bradwell, Nov., 1885 (Lowne in litt., who sold it to Rev. C. J. Lucas).'

W. Pycraft (1884-89) in the Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society, Vol. IV. p. 459, says: 'One was shot near Yarmouth in November, 1885.'

Accepted locally for Suffolk (Ticehurst 1932: 328) and for Norfolk (Allard 1990).

Comment Since the 1974 boundary changes Bradwell has been in Norfolk.

119). 1886 Sussex Climping, near Arundel, shot, October.

(W. Jeffery, Hardwicke's Science Gossip 1887: 43; P. E. Coombe, Zoologist 1886: 111; Borrer, 1891; Walpole-Bond, 1938).

History William Jeffery (1887) in Hardwicke's Science Gossip, Vol. XXIII. p. 43, says: 'I have just seen a specimen of this bird which was killed by Mr. Coote, of Clymping (Arundel district), towards the end of last year. A Little Bustard was killed some years ago at Bosham (Chichester district), by Mr. A. Cheesman. This was just prior to the publication of Knox's Ornithological Rambles in 1855, and is there noted.'

P. E. Coombe of London (1886) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. X. p. 111, says: 'A fine specimen of the Little Bustard, Otis tetrax, was shot in a turnip field by Mr. Coote, at Clymping, near Arundel, Sussex, in October last. Photographs have been obligingly forwarded to me by Mr. Hobgen, of Chichester, placing the identity of the species beyond a doubt. It has been well preserved by Mr. Henry George, taxidermist, of that town.'

Accepted locally (Borrer 1891: 202) and Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 322) who adds: '...during October, 1886 (not, as Borrer had it, 1887)....'

120). 1887 Norfolk Wormegay, 3rd January.

(T. Southwell, Field 31st Jan., 1891: 163).

History Thomas Southwell of Norwich (1891) in The Field of 31st Jan., Vol. LXXVII. p. 163, dated 26th January, says: 'In reply to your correspondent "H.H.B.L." in The Field of 24th inst., I may inform him that Mr. Stevenson, in the Birds of Norfolk, enumerates eleven instances of the occurrence of the Little Bustard in Norfolk up to the year 1861.

Another example, which was unknown to Mr. S. at that time, was killed at Mundesley in November, 1820. Since 1861 I find the following records in my note-book: 1874, Dec. 2, one at Tilney St. Lawrence; 1878, Feb. 14, one at Potter Heigham; 1878, Sept. 12, one at Caister, by Yarmouth; 1887, Jan. 3, one near Wormegay, some five miles from King's Lynn; 1889, Aug. 10, one at Waxham, near Yarmouth, making seventeen examples - quite sufficient to substantiate Mr. Stevenson's conclusion that in Norfolk this bird may be safely classed "amongst those rare migrants which can be confidently looked for from time to time, and, from the regularity of its appearance during certain months of the year only, may be reckoned as an occasional winter visitant", the August individual being altogether exceptional. I should mention that in drawing up the above list I have not searched further than my own note-book; it may therefore be imperfect, but it is quite sufficient for the present purpose.'

121). 1888 Norfolk Stiffkey Marsh, found long dead, August.

(Pashley, 1925; Bloomfield, 1993).

History Pashley (1925) under 'List of Cley Birds', says: 'The remains of one were found on the Stiffkey marshes in August 1888.'

122). 1889 Norfolk Waxham, female, shot, 11th August.

(W. B. Tegetmeier, Field 7th Sep., 1889: 350; W. Lowne, Zoologist 1889: 393; J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1890: 57).

History W. B. Tegetmeier (1889) in The Field of 7th Sep., Vol. LXXIV. p. 350, says: 'I have had forwarded to me by Mr. Arthur Flaxman, a very fine specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax), which was shot on Aug. 10, at Waxham, a small village on the Norfolk coast, between Winterton and Palling, in a turnip-field adjoining the sea. It proved to be a female, and it is stated that the ova were "rather forward", but their exact size, unfortunately, was not given.

The bird has been admirably mounted by Mr. Lowne, well-known as a taxidermist at Great Yarmouth. The food found in the bird consisted of clover leaves and some remains of beetles. The occurrence of the species in this country during August is one of the earliest on record....Neither severe weather nor westerly gales will account for the occurrence of this fine specimen early in August.'

W. Lowne of Great Yarmouth (1889) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XIII. p. 393, says: 'I have been requested by Mr. Southwell, of Norwich, to inform you, for the benefit of readers of The Zoologist, that I received, for preservation, in August last, a female specimen of the Little Bustard, Otis tetrax.

It was shot by a boy in a turnip-field at Waxham, Norfolk, and was purchased by a gentleman on board a pleasure-boat, Mr. A. J. Flaxman, of London, for whom I have preserved it. On examination, it was found to have been feeding on clover-leaves and beetles.'

J. H. Gurney, jun., of Norwich (1890) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XIV. p. 57, says: 'On August 11th, a Pintail was shot at Cley, and a Little Bustard at Waxham.'

123). Pre 1890 Lincolnshire Charity Farm, near Westwoodside, Axholme, shot, undated, now at Doncaster Museum.

(G. P. Catley, Lincolnshire Bird Report 1992: 86).

History G. P. Catley (1992: 96) in the Lincolnshire Bird Report, says: 'One shot at Charity Farm, near Westwoodside in the Isle of Axholme, prior to 1890 was presented to the Doncaster Museum in 1942 and is still on display where it was recognised in 1977 and photographed. This is an addition to Lorand & Atkin (1984).'

124). Pre 1893 West Midlands Birchfield, Warwickshire, shot, undated.

(McAldowie, 1893; Smith, 1939; Harrison et al, 1982; Harrison & Harrison, 2005).

History McAldowie (1893) says: 'In the list of rare Staffordshire Birds, Mr. Chase has compiled for me, he writes: - "Mr. C. North, of Oakfield Road, Selby Park, informs me that the specimen now in Aston Hall was shot at Birchfield many years ago, and that he saw the bird in the flesh. A person named Weaver stuffed it".'

Accepted locally in his Birds of Staffordshire (Smith 1939: 236).

125). 1893 Cornwall St Mawes, obtained, January.

(Clark, 1906; Penhallurick, 1978).

History J. Clark (1906 (1): 342) in the Victoria County History of Cornwall, says: '...latest captures, St Mawes, January, 1893.' Penhallurick (1978: 126) adds: '1893, one was taken at St Mawes in January (VCH, p. 342).'

126). 1893 Devon Braunton Burrows, three, seen, November.

(D'Urban, 1906; Moore, 1969).

History W. S. M. D'Urban (1906 (1): 323) in the Victoria County History of Devon, says: 'The last occurrence was in November 1893, when three were seen on Braunton Burrows.'

Comment This record was presumably too late for inclusion in D'Urban & Mathew's Birds of Devonshire (1892, 1895), so it is accepted here on the proviso that D'Urban was happy with the details.

129). 1894 Somerset Near Drayton, immature female, shot, 19th October, now at City Museum, Bristol.

(H. Stone, Field 3rd Nov., 1894: 706; Eds., Zoologist 1902: 70; H. Tetley, British Birds 32: 199; F. L. Blathwayt, Report on Somerset Birds 1938: 32; Somerset Ornithological Society, 1988; Ballance, 2006).

History H. Stone of Drayton (1894) in The Field of 3rd Nov., Vol. LXXXIV. p. 706, says: 'Little Bustard in Somerset. A specimen of this bird was shot on the moor here on October 19th. It was a female in, I should say, full adult winter plumage. The bird measured 20 in. in length, and weighed 2 lb. 2 oz.

I shall be taking photographs of the bird in a few days, and shall be pleased to show them to any gentleman who is interested in the occurrence.'

[If we are not mistaken, this is the first time that the Little Bustard has been reported to have been met with in Somersetshire. - Ed.]

H. Tetley (1938) in British Birds, Vol. XXXII. p. 199, says: 'The Bristol Museum and Art Gallery has recently acquired part of the collection left by the late H. Stone, a taxidermist of Drayton, Somerset. This includes a specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) and it was recorded by Stone in The Field of November 3rd, 1894, p. 706, as follows: "Little Bustard in Somerset.

A specimen of this bird was shot on the moor here on October 19th. It was a female in, I should say, full adult winter plumage. The bird measured 20 in. in length, and weighed 2 lb. 2 oz.". Recent detailed examination has shown the bird to be in juvenile, not adult, plumage and also that it is an example of the Western Little Bustard (Otis tetrax tetrax).

The bird has been examined by Mr. H. F. Witherby who also found the measurements of the wing to be 254 mm. and so higher than his previous record of 248 mm.

This is only the second definite record of this race for the British Isles, the previous one being given by Witherby, (Brit. Birds, Vol. XXXI. p. 334), all other Little Bustards examined being the Eastern race Otis tetrax orientalis. The records for Somerset are three, viz.: - 1. Female, about 1872, on Sedgemoor. Rev. W. Fox, Field, July 13th, 1907. 2. Female, Drayton, Somerset, October 19th, 1894 (as above). 3. One shot at Isle Abbots, December 28th, 1914. A. W. Turner, Field, February 6th, 1915. It is not known to which race Nos. 1 and 3 belong.'

F. L. Blathwayt (1938) in the Report on Somerset Birds, Vol. XXV. p. 32, also states it now to be a Western Little Bustard (O. t. tetrax).

Ballance (2006: 151) adds: 'Still exhibited in the City Museum, Bristol.'

130). 1895 Yorkshire Burton Pidsea, female, obtained, last week of December.

(B. B. Haworth-Booth, Naturalist 22: 132; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

History B. B. Haworth-Booth of Hullbank Hall, near Hull (1896) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. XXII. p. 132, dated 17th March, 1896, says: 'Mr. Darby has now in his possession a very fine specimen of Otis tetrax, a female in splendid condition; shot by Mr. Binnington Holmes in the last week of December, 1895, in a turnip field at Burton Pidsea, Holderness.'

Accepted locally (Nelson 1907 (2): 558; Mather 1986).

131). 1897 Staffordshire Badger’s Croft Farm, Warslow, shot, 20th September, specimen cased.

(H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148; Smith, 1939; Harrison et al., 1982; Harrison & Harrison, 2005; https://bsky.app/profile/archieraven.bsky.social/post/3l2nc3wrj732o).

History Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899', who say: 'One was shot by a keeper at Warslow about 1899, but was not recorded at the time as it was killed during the close season (F. C. R. Jourdain, in litt.).'

Accepted locally in his Birds of Staffordshire (Smith 1939: 236).

132). 1897 Wiltshire Between Roche Court and Over Wallop, seen, 27th September; same, Salisbury Plain, mid-October.

(A. P. Morres, Salisbury Journal 16th Oct., 1897; A. P. Morres, Field 23rd Oct., 1897: 676; F. Reynolds, Field 6th Nov., 1897: 717; G. B. Hony, British Birds 7: 283; Wiltshire Ornithological Society, 2007).

History Arthur P. Morres of Salisbury (1897) in The Field of 23rd Oct., Vol. XC. p. 676, under 'Supposed Occurrence of the Little Bustard in Wilts.', says: 'The following interesting occurrence was communicated to me last week by my friend Mr. Willoughby P. Cole, who was staying at the time at Roche Court, near Salisbury, and as he is well acquainted with all our ordinary down birds, there can be but little doubt that the bird he saw was, as he supposes, a Little Bustard.

He writes thus: "We in these parts are much exercised over a bird which we have seen and cannot recognise, so I am writing to ask if you can assist us. When driving out to shoot at Over Wallop on Friday morning (Sept. 29), as we passed along the edge of a turnip field we flushed a bird, which, when it rose, appeared to be like a Stone Curlew, but had white wings and shoulders, with a brown bar across the wings near the body. In size it was about the size of a Curlew, and from its flight our first impression was that it was a duck. However, it pitched down again in the same piece of roots, and I went off to try to get near it. On rising again it circled over us, and we were able to see a little more about it, but as were never very close, I cannot guarantee the description to be entirely correct. The neck was not sufficiently long for a duck, and was of a brown mottled colour; the back and top of the head of a redder brown. The wing was curved and very long, coming to a point, however, at the longer primaries. The flight was peculiar, owing to the quick motion of the wings, and its progress did not seem commensurate with the amount of energy it was expending. On being flushed a second time it made a long and wide circle round - about a mile and a half probably - and pitched again within 300 yards of where it started. I had not time to observe of follow it more closely then; but on returning in the evening it was again in the same roots, but went straight away towards the east on being put up. There were three of us who saw it, and all of us think we know the commoner birds, but this one has fairly beaten us. On the wing this bird uttered a cry something like "chuck, chuck, chuck - chuck, chuck, chuck". Could it be a Little Bustard? That is the only bird I make out at all answering the description".

From the description thus given I think there can be but little doubt of the identity of the species, as all the surrounding circumstances tend to confirm it, and, although a decidedly rare bird with us, it is not so rare but that we might hope to see one amongst us every now and then.

Our district is well suited for it. It is the right time of year for such a bird to show itself, being the migration season; and the description given agrees accurately with that of our best authorities. My friend notices especially the white on the wings, Yarrell remarking, "all the wing coverts and base of the primaries are white"; again, the flight of the bird is said to be peculiar owing to the quick motion of the wings, which for the first moment made the observers think of some species of duck; and Seebohm writes, "the wings are moved with great rapidity, and the flight is very straight, though not very slow". While, again, Yarrell mentions the monosyllabic note of the bird, which also struck my friend on hearing it, though they do not happen to liken it to quite the same syllable, as perhaps but few observers ever do in such a case. It is a winter migrant, and has never been known to breed amongst us, the winter of 1874-5 having furnished an unusual number of specimens; and it seems a pity, I think, not to record this occurrence anyhow, as everything tells entirely in favour of its identity - the bird being of the right size, of the right colour, with a defined whiteness of wing, of the rapid wing movement usual to this species, having a monosyllabic cry, being seen also in the right season of the year for its appearance, as well as in a likely district for it, having been observed also by three people, all of whom were well acquainted with our commoner down birds, such as Stone Curlew and the various species of wildfowl; and the motions of the bird itself being characteristic of a wandering stranger, sticking to the same spot which had first attracted it as long as it could, and only leaving it on being frequently disturbed.'

F. Reynolds of Devizes (1897) in The Field of 6th Nov., Vol. XC. p. 717, says: 'A Bustard was moved about a fortnight since on Salisbury Plain, near Market Lavington. One of the party, who has seen many of the birds in India, had a good view, and is quite certain it was a bustard.'

G. Bathurst Hony (1914) in British Birds, Vol. VII. p. 283, under 'Additional Species', says: 'Since the appearance of the Rev. A. C. Smith's Birds of Wiltshire in 1887 many new county records have naturally occurred. I now propose to give the more interesting of those I have collected, some of which have been published before, but many of which are now published for the first time. Perhaps the presentation of these in a collected form may cause other records to be brought to light.

Smith records the occurrence of 235 species, but he was too wont - to use his own words - to "give the prisoner the benefit of the doubt"....One was put up on Sept. 27th, 1897, between Roche Court and Over Wallop on Salisbury Plain (Salisbury Journal, Oct. 16th, 1897).'

133). 1898 Norfolk Feltwell, female, shot, 25th January.

(E. A. Butler, Field 19th Feb., 1898: 285; E. A. Butler, Zoologist 1898: 125; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148).

History E. A. Butler of Brettenham Park, Ipswich (1898) in The Field of 19th Feb., Vol. XCI. p. 285, and in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. II. p. 125, says: 'A Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot by Mr. Goodwin at Feltwell, near Downham Market, Norfolk, on Jan. 25th last, and sent for preservation to Mr. Travis, Bury St Edmunds, in whose shop I saw it in the flesh shortly after it arrived. It was in good condition and perfect plumage.'

Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.

134). 1898 Suffolk Kessingland, adult male, obtained, 3rd May, photo, now at Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery (Acc. No. 1954Z1.348).

(T. Southwell, Zoologist 1899: 31; J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1899: 120, photo; J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1900: 115, corr.; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148; Witherby, 1920-24; Ticehurst, 1932; Payn, 1978; Watson, 2010).

History Thomas Southwell of Norwich (1899) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. III. p. 31, says: 'Early in May, 1898, a male Little Bustard (Otis tetrax), in full summer plumage - a condition in which it is very rarely met with in this country, and the first instance known to me in the eastern counties - was killed at Kessingland, near Lowestoft, Suffolk. For obvious reasons the event was not made public until till after the close-time had expired, when a photograph of the bird was sent to me.... It is now in a local collection.'

J. H. Gurney, jun., of Norwich (1899) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. III. pp. 120-121, says: 'May 30th. An adult male Little Bustard, in full breeding plumage, shot, in spite of close-time, at Kessingland, in the north of Suffolk (T. Southwell), (ante, p. 31), about five miles from our border, and since added to Mr. Connop's museum. As it has never been obtained in the British Isles in this attire before (though once taken at Heligoland in June), the accompanying reproduction of a photograph may be acceptable. It was sent to be preserved to Mr. Bunn, of Lowestoft, who, in skinning it, noticed that the neck was large, a seasonal dilatation which in some form seems to show itself in the male of all the Bustards, and which is shown in the cut [photo].'

J. H. Gurney, jun. (1900) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. IV. p. 115, says: 'I learn from Mr. Howard Bunn that the correct date when the Little Bustard was shot at Kessingland, as recorded in last year's "Notes", was not May 30th, but May 3rd, 1898, an error on my part.'

Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.

Ticehurst (1932: 328) says: 'One obtained in summer dress, a fine male, was shot by Mr. E. M. Potts at Kessingland on 3rd May 1898 (Connop collection).'

Watson (2010) in detailing the W. R. Lysaght collection in the Birmingham Museum lists this male specimen from Kessingland, Suffolk, obtained on 3rd May 1898, adding that it was shot by Mr. E. M. Potts in his own wheat field.

135). 1900 Norfolk Ludham, adult female, shot, 26th November.

(J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1901: 138; J. H. Gurney & T. Southwell, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 7: 738; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148; ).

History J. H. Gurney, jun., of Norwich (1901) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. V. p. 138, says: 'November 26th. A Little Bustard, female adult, shot at Ludham, in the Broad district, by Mr. Neave.'

Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.

136). 1901 Derbyshire Middleton Top, near Youlgreave, female, killed, 14th May.

(W. Storrs Fox, Zoologist 1901: 270; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148; Witherby, 1920-24; Frost, 1978).

History W. Storrs Fox of Bakewell (1901) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. V. p. 270, says: 'On May 14th a Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot by a farmer on Middleton Top, near Youlgreave, North Derbyshire. He saw that his victim was something uncommon, and took it to a local stuffer. The sex was not determined by dissection, but no doubt the bird is a female, as the plumage is devoid of all ornaments. This is only the second recorded appearance of the Little Bustard in Derbyshire, the first being in 1797. This specimen is now in my collection.'

Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.

137). 1901 Carmarthenshire Laugharne Marsh, female, shot, 19th November.

(Barker, 1905; J. F. Thomas, British Birds 32: 199; Ingram & Morrey Salmon, 1954; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994).

History Barker (1905: 16) says: 'Note by Mr. Browne: "1901, December 6. Saw in Jeffreys' shop a stuffed Little Bustard which had been shot on Laugharne Marsh by Mr. Broadwood's keeper last month. It was a female in beautiful plumage". I have also seen this specimen.'

J. F. Thomas (1938) in British Birds, Vol. XXXII. p. 199, says: 'Messrs. G. C. S. Ingram and H. M. Salmon state that there appear to be only two other records of the Little Bustard in South Wales: at Gileston, Glamorganshire, November 19th, 1885, and Laugharne Marsh, Carmarthenshire, November, 1901. I am told that this latter bird is in the Cardiff Museum, but in neither case is there any evidence of race.'

138). 1901 Sussex Pagham, adult female, shot, 28th November, now at Booth Museum, Brighton (BoMNH 204032).

(J. Pratt, Field 14th Dec., 1901: 950; Walpole-Bond, 1938; James, 1996).

History Pratt and Sons of Brighton (1901) in The Field of 14th Dec., Vol. XCVIII. p. 950, says: 'We have received for preservation an adult female Little Bustard, shot at Pagham, Sussex, on Nov. 28. It was very wild when first seen and difficult of approach, but was eventually secured by a long shot in a turnip field. Its weight was 1lb. 14oz., and its crop was full of turnip tops.'

Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 322) says: 'No less than three of these birds were killed in the county during 1901, namely, one at Pagham on November 28th (J. Pratt, Field, 14/xii/1901). It is now in the Booth Museum, Brighton.'

139). 1901 Sussex Eastergate, shot, 30th November.

(Walpole-Bond, 1938).

History Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 322) says: 'No less than three of these birds were killed in the county during 1901, namely...the second at Eastergate two days later [30th Nov.] (W. B. Ellis in litt.).'

140). 1901 Sussex Wepham Farm, near Burpham, adult, shot, 16th December, now at Booth Museum, Brighton (BoMNH 204031).

(W. Percival Westell, Zoologist 1902: 70; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148; Walpole-Bond, 1938; James, 1996).

History W. Percival Westell of St Albans (1902) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. VI. p. 70, says: 'On Dec. 16th, 1901, a specimen of Otis tetrax was shot near Burpham, Sussex, and was sent to Mr. W. B. Ellis, taxidermist, Arundel. It was a female, and weighed 26 oz.'

[The above is a light weight. The weight of one shot on Drayton Moor, Somersetshire, in 1894, was 2 lb. 2 oz. [34 oz.] (cf. Harting's Handbook of British Birds, p. 165. - Ed.]

Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.

Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 322) says: 'No less than three of these birds were killed in the county during 1901, namely...and the third at Burpham on December 16th. It is now in the Booth Museum, Brighton.'

Comment Westell saw a supposed Rufous Bush Robin in Hertfordshire in February, 1915.

141). 1902 Dorset Fordington, Dorchester, shot, 21st January, now at County Museum, Dorchester.

(A. Ford, Field 1st Feb., 1902: 177; N. M. Richardson, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History Society and Antiquarian Field Club 24: 180; F. L. Blathwayt, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society 55: 207; W. R. Thompson, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society 62: 123; Boys, 1973; Prendergast & Boys, 1983).

History A. Ford (1902) in The Field of 1st Feb., Vol. XCIX. p. 177, says: 'It may be of interest to note that on Jan. 21 I shot a nice specimen of the Little Bustard. It got up with some Partridges, and in going away I thought it was a Curlew. It is in splendid plumage and very fat. The last recorded to have been killed in Dorset was shot forty-eight years ago.'

[Our correspondent has omitted to state whereabouts in the county his bird was obtained. It is always well to mention the locality as well as the date when recording the occurrence of a rare species. - Ed.]

Nelson M. Richardson, Editor (1903) in the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History Society and Antiquarian Field Club, Vol. XXIV. p. 180, says: 'In the Naturalist's Monthly Review (published by Messrs. J. and W. Davis, of Dartford, Kent), for March, 1902, the following note occurs: - "Little Bustard in Dorset. - It may be of interest to note that on January 21st I shot a nice specimen of the Little Bustard. It got up with some partridges, and, in going away, I thought it was a Curlew. It is in splendid plumage and very fat. The last recorded to have been killed in Dorset was shot 48 years ago. - A. Ford".

Since the Little Bustard is very rare in Dorset, only a single specimen being recorded in Mr. J. C. Mansel-Pleydell's Birds of Dorsetshire (1888), it may be of interest to mention that I have a note communicated to me by the Rev. O. Pickard-Cambridge to the effect that a specimen was shot at Warmwell many years ago and given by the Rev. G. Pickard (afterwards Pickard-Cambridge) to the Bullock's Museum collection, which was finally purchased for the British Museum (E.R.B.).'

Admitted by F. L. Blathwayt (1934) in the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Vol. LV. p. 207, under 'A Revised List of the Birds of Dorset'.

142). 1902 Kent Broadstairs, seen, early December; same, near St Peters, Thanet, shot, 20th December.

(C. Ingram, Zoologist 1908: 272; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148; Ticehurst, 1909; Harrison, 1953).

History Collingwood Ingram of Westgate-on-Sea (1908) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. XII. p. 272, says: 'It may perhaps be of interest to chronicle the facts relating to the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) killed in the Isle of Thanet in 1902, as I do not think the full details have ever been published. For about a fortnight prior to its death this bird was frequently observed in some fields adjoining Stone House School, Broadstairs, remaining in that district in spite of its being sadly persecuted by local sportsmen. On or about the Dec. 20th, while shooting, Mr. Thomas Pemble happened to flush the Little Bustard from a field of swedes, and as it rose well within shot it was promptly killed. The specimen is still in Mr. Pemble's possession, where I have examined it.'

Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.

Ticehurst (1909: 407) says: 'The latest occurrence of this species in Kent has been thoroughly authenticated by Mr. H. S. D. Byron. The bird was shot, he tells me, by a Mr. T. Pemble, then landlord of the "Wheatsheaf Inn" at St. Peters, Thanet, near that place in the early part of January, 1903. It was stuffed by Sturges, of Margate, and is still in Mr. Pemble's possession at St. Peters.'

Comment Full details should have included the sex at least and even the date is at odds with the original story.

143). 1902 Yorkshire Kilnsea, shot, 7th December.

(P. W. Loten, Naturalist 29: 61; J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1903: 137; Nelson, 1907; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148; Mather, 1986).

History P. W. Loten of Easington (1903) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. XXIX. p. 61, dated 24th December, 1902, says: 'On the evening of 7th December a Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) was shot at Kilnsea, near Spurn. As it was dusk at the time the bird was not found until the following morning, when it had been considerably damaged by a cat. This is the first record of its kind I can remember in our neighbourhood.'

[In Handbook of Vertebrate Fauna (Clarke and Roebuck), one at Beverley prior to 1844 (Allis); one in Holderness (The Naturalist, 1896, p. 132). Cordeaux in Birds of the Humber District refers to a specimen which was shot at Leven on 31st January 1862. - Eds.]

J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1903) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. VII. p. 137, says: 'December 11th. S.E. ...Four days before another of these winter migrants was shot at the mouth of the Humber (Naturalist), which had no doubt made the same journey, but from where is a mystery.'

Accepted locally by Nelson (1907 (2): 558-559) who adds: 'I saw the preserved remains of this specimen at Easington in the October following,' and nationally by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.

144). 1902 Norfolk Caister-on-Sea, male, shot, 11th December.

(J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1903: 137; J. H. Gurney & T. Southwell, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 7: 738; Patterson, 1905; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 148; Allard, 1990).

History J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1903) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. VII. p. 137, says: 'December 11th. S.E. A Little Bustard shot at Caister-by-the-Sea was a male, Mr. Lowne informs me, and had inside it enough carrot and turnip tops to weigh five and a half ounces. Four days before another of these winter migrants was shot at the mouth of the Humber (Naturalist), which had no doubt made the same journey, but from where is a mystery. The nearest where any breed, and there only very rarely, is Carentan, near Cherbourg, fide Le Mennicier.'

Patterson (1905) says: 'On December 12th, 1902, an example was shot in a turnip-field at Caister, whose crop was filled with food consisting of carrot and turnip tops; this mass of food weighed five ounces, and reminded one of a green-painted cricket ball.'

Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 148, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.

145). 1903 Sussex Pevensey Marsh, killed, October.

(Walpole-Bond, 1938).

History Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 322) says: 'At this point a perusal of Mr. E. C. Arnold's "Private Notes" reveals the fact that a bird of this sort was killed during October, 1903, on Pevensey Marsh, where previously, though the date was never kept, another was brought down but unfortunately not retrieved, where, too, other individuals of this species have from time to time been seen.

The specimen salvaged was set up by Mr. B. Bates, whose father long, long before had received another example for preservation, possibly the dateless bird from Holywell, Eastbourne, which Mr. Cooke, prior to 1920, told Arnold he had inspected years and years previously shortly after it had been killed. Maybe one of these last two birds - if, indeed, there are two - relates to the record of 1879, ut supra.'

146). 1904 Cornwall Constantine, obtained, December.

(Clark, 1906; Penhallurick, 1978).

History J. Clark (1906 (1): 342) in the Victoria County History of Cornwall, says: '...latest captures Constantine, December, 1904.'

Penhallurick (1978: 126-127) adds: '1904, one was taken at Constantine [parish] in December (VCH, p. 342).'

147). c. 1905 Wiltshire Near Chilmark, killed, undated.

(G. B. Hony, British Birds 7: 290).

History G. Bathurst Hony (1914) in British Birds, Vol. VII. p. 283, under 'Additional Species', says: 'Since the appearance of the Rev. A. C. Smith's Birds of Wiltshire in 1887 many new county records have naturally occurred. I now propose to give the more interesting of those I have collected, some of which have been published before, but many of which are now published for the first time. Perhaps the presentation of these in a collected form may cause other records to be brought to light. Smith records the occurrence of 235 species, but he was too wont - to use his own words - to "give the prisoner the benefit of the doubt"....Mr. James Flower, of Chilmark, has one killed there about 1905 or 1906.'

148). 1906 Northumberland Amble, shot, November.

(Galloway & Meek, 1978-83).

History Galloway & Meek (1978-83) say: 'One was shot at Amble in November 1906.'

Comment Record did not appear in Bolam (1912).

149). 1909 Wiltshire Avebury, male, shot, 26th April.

(E. P. Knubley, Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Society Transactions 36: 143; G. B. Hony, British Birds 7: 290).

History E. P. Knubley (1910) in the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine, Vol. XXXVI. p. 143, says: 'A male Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) in summer dress was shot at Avebury April 26th, 1909, and was sent by Mr. F. Deakin, The Lodge, Avebury, to be set up by Mr. Lucas, of Devizes. The range of the Little Bustard is Southern Europe, Algeria, Tunis, Messopotamia and India. It is only an occasional visitant to Central or Northern Europe. Harting says that about forty occurrences are on record in the British Isles.

The chief point of interest in the capture of this bird is that it was shot in mid-April, whereas all the English records have occurred in the autumn or winter, unless we except - a specimen in summer plumage, in the British Museum, said to have been killed in Norfolk - as set forth in Gray's list (part iii.), and alluded to in The Zoologist, p. 2242.

Mr. F. Deakin writes: - "The bird was shot on Weedon. There is a dew pond on the top of the hill, and the bird pitched within 200 yards of it. I was going round the sheep and heard a very peculiar noise over my head. On looking up I could see it was a rare bird. I turned my horse round and fetched my gun and I happened to meet the keeper, J. Buckingham, who looks after the game on this farm. The bird being very wild I asked him to take the gun and I rode round the brow of the hill and attracted its attention while the keeper crept up the hill and shot it at 62 yards off".'

Smith records the occurrence of 235 species, but he was too wont - to use his own words - to "give the prisoner the benefit of the doubt"....male in summer-plumage was shot at Avebury on April 26th, 1909 (W. A. & N. H., XXXVI, p. 143).'

Comment Very strange date! It should be on its breeding grounds in France, etc.

150). 1911 North-east Scotland Gallaton, near Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, female, mid-December to 1st January 1912, when shot, now at National Museums of Scotland (NMSZ 1960.49.3).

(C. Cook, Scottish Naturalist 1912: 44-45; J. H. Gurney, jun., British Birds 5: 281; J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1913: 166; W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 32: 284; L. J. Rintoul & E. V. Baxter, Scottish Naturalist 49: 26; E. V. Baxter & L. J. Rintoul, Scottish Naturalist 49: 111; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 27: 305; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; Thom, 1986; Phillips, 1997; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).

History Charles Cook of Edinburgh (1912) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. XXXII. pp. 44-45, says: 'A fine specimen of this rare bird (Otis tetrax) was shot on the farm of Gallaton, on the estate of Barras, near Stonehaven, on 1st January 1912. The bird had been observed as a stranger frequenting a certain turnip field on the farm for about a fortnight, but the gamekeeper could not identify it. It was wary, and was only shot after considerable manoeuvring. The bird, a male in winter plumage, has been set up by Messrs Small & Son, George Street, Edinburgh.'

[This is the seventh instance known to us of the occurrence of the Little Bustard in Scotland. The previous records are as follows: near Montrose, in 1833; at St Andrews, on March 6, 1840; at Halkirk, Caithness, in June 1848; near Elgin, on February 8, 1861; and "Dee" Nov. 1873 and Dec. 1889. - Eds.]

J. H. Gurney, jun. (1912) in British Birds, Vol. V. p. 281, says: 'Another was shot in Kincardineshire on January 1st, after frequenting a certain field for a fortnight (Scottish Naturalist, 1912, p. 44).'

J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1913) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. XVII. p. 166, says: '...Another was shot in Kincardineshire on the 1st [January].'

W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1913) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XXXII. p. 284, on the unexpected occurrences for 1911, says: 'One arrived, Kincardineshire, about mid-December (shot January 1st, 1912).'

L. J. Rintoul & E. V. Baxter (1929) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. XLIX. p. 26, say: 'Although seven Little Bustards have been recorded in Scotland, the sub-species of none of these has hitherto been ascertained. Through the kindness of Sir John Gilmour we have been able to send the Little Bustard, obtained in Kincardineshire on 1st January 1912, to Dr. Hartert for examination. Dr. Hartert writes that he finds "it to be a typical female of the Eastern Tetrao tetrax orientalis". The specimen is now in the Lundin Links Museum, having been bequeathed by the late Mr. William Cook to this collection.'

E. V. Baxter & L. J. Rintoul (1929) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. XLIX. p. 111, in the annual report for 1928, say: 'The examination in 1928 of specimens got in former years has resulted in the following forms being added to the Scottish avifauna. The Eastern Little Bustard (Otis tetrax orientalis) from South Kincardine.'

H.F.W. (1933-34) in British Birds, Vol. XXVII. p. 305, in a footnote, says: 'Besides the specimens mentioned in the Practical Handbook, the following have since been examined and all have been orientalis: Kincardineshire, 1912, by Dr. Hartert.'

Comment It was donated to the National Museums of Scotland from the collections of the Largo Field Naturalists' Society, via Sir John Gilmour, when they were dispersed in 1960 (R. McGowan pers. comms.).

151). 1912 Norfolk Strumpshaw Fen, shot, 4th January.

(J. H. Gurney, jun., British Birds 5: 281; J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1913: 166; W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 32: 182; S. H. Long & B. B. Riviere, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 9: 792; Pashley, 1925).

History J. H. Gurney, jun. (1912) in British Birds, Vol. V. p. 281, says: 'On January 4th, 1912, a Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot on a wet marsh at Strumpshaw, near Norwich, by Mr. A. Mason. This species is always a rare bird, but when it does occur in the eastern counties, as often as not it is in mid-winter. Probably it is from Russia that most of our examples come, for in mid-winter we hardly look for migrants from countries south of us, such as Algeria and Spain, to visit England.'

J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1913) in The Zoologist, 4th series Vol. XVII. p. 166, says: 'January 4th. W., 3. A very mild day. A Little Bustard shot near Norwich by Mr. A. Mason, by whom it was exhibited before the Norwich Naturalists' Society. Another was shot in Kincardineshire on the 1st, and another in Devonshire on the 11th (British Birds, VI, p. 225); probably they all started from the same area, wherever it was. Although a species of southern distribution, the visits of the Little Bustard to England are generally in the winter.'

W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1913) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XXXII. p. 182, on the unexpected occurrences for 1912, says: 'One shot, Strumshaw [sic], near Norwich (Norfolk), January 4th.'

Admitted by S. H. Long & B. B. Riviere (1914) in the Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society, Vol. IX. p. 792, in the Sixth List of Additions.

Pashley (1925) adds: '1912. January. A Little Bustard shot at Brundall, the only specimen I have had in the flesh. I set it up for Mr. P. Mason, Norwich.'

152). 1912 Devon Braunton, female, picked up dead under wires, 11th January.

(F. C. R. Jourdain, British Birds 6: 225-226; J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1913: 166; W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 32: 182; Moore, 1969).

History F. C. R. Jourdain (1912) in British Birds, Vol. VI. pp. 225-226, says: 'On January 11th, 1912, a Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was captured by a farmer at Braunton, and taken by him to Mr. James Rowe, the taxidermist of Barnstaple. Its head had been injured, probably through coming in contact with telegraph wires. It proved to be a female, like nearly all the recorded specimens from this district, though possibly some may have been immature birds. Mr. J. Henderson saw it while it was being set up for Mr. F. B. Hinchcliff of Instow, and kindly obtained the above particulars from Mr. Rowe.'

J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1913) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. XVII. p. 166, says: 'January 4th. W., 3. A very mild day....Another was shot...and another in Devonshire on the 11th.'

W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1913) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XXXII. p. 182, on the unexpected occurrences for 1912, says: 'Female caught, Braunton (Devon), January 11th.'

153). 1912 Lincolnshire Walcot, near Scunthorpe, seen, 22nd January.

(F. L. Blathwayt, Transactions of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union 3: 211; W. S. Medlicott, Transactions of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union 1920: 127; Smith & Cornwallis, 1955; Lorand & Atkin, 1989).

History F. L. Blathwayt (1915) in the Transactions of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union, Vol. III. p. 211, under 'Additional Notes', says: 'A bird of this species was seen, and clearly identified, on January 22nd, 1913, at Normanby, N.W. Lincs., by W. S. Medlicott.'

W. S. Medlicott (1920) in the Transactions of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union, 1920: 127, says: 'Lesser Bustard. One at Walcot, near Alkborough, 22nd January 1912.'

Smith & Cornwallis (1955) say: 'On 22nd January 1912 one was seen at Walcot near Scunthorpe.' However, Lorand & Atkin (1989) without a correction note state the date as 22nd January 1913.

Comment Lincolnshire Records Committee have agreed to 1912 being the correct date.

154). 1914 Sussex Goring-by-Sea, female, shot, 12th January.

(H. Wells, Field 17th Jan., 1914: 139; Eds., British Birds 7: 302; Walpole-Bond, 1938).

History H. Wells, Taxidermist, of Chapel Road, Goring (1914) in The Field of 17th Jan., Vol. CXXIII. p. 139, says: 'It may be worth reporting that I have received a female Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) which was shot on the shore at Goring-on-Sea on Jan. 12.'

In an Editorial (1914) in British Birds, Vol. VII. p. 302, they say: 'Mr. H. Wells records (Field, 17.i.14, p. 139) that he has received for preservation a specimen of Otis tetrax, shot at Goring-by-Sea, on January 12th, 1914.'

Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 323).

155). 1914 Carmarthenshire Broadway, Laugharne, shot, 5th February, now at National Museum of Wales, Cardiff (Z.1920.143.007).

(T. W. Proger & D. R. Paterson, Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society 1913: 91; Ingram & Salmon, 1954; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994).

History T. W. Proger & D. R. Paterson (1913) in the Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society, Vol. XLVI. p. 91, say: 'The specimen in question was shot at 'Broadway', Laugharne, Pembrokeshire. In the 'Birds of Glamorgan' a little Bustard is recorded as having been shot in 1885 at St Athan, Glamorgan, where we saw it some years later in the collection of the Rector, the late Rev. Morgan-Stratford.'

156). 1914 Norfolk Barton Bendish, shot, 1st October.

(J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1915: 140; Eds., British Birds 9: 99).

History J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1915) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. XIX. p. 140, says: 'October 1st. W., 2. A Little Bustard shot at Barton Bendish (Sir Digby Pigott) is the earliest in point of date yet recorded for Norfolk. Its usual month for visiting us is December.'

Acknowledged in British Birds, Vol. IX. p. 99.

157). 1914 Somerset Isle Abbots, shot, 28th December.

(A. W. Turner, Field 6th Feb., 1915: 222; H. Tetley, British Birds 32: 199; F. L. Blathwayt, Report on Somerset Birds 1940: 17; Somerset Ornithological Society, 1988; Ballance, 2006).

History A. W. Turner (1915) in The Field of 6th Feb., Vol. CXXV.p. 222, says: 'A Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was killed on the farm of Mr. H. Humphry at Isle Abbots, about ten miles from Taunton, on Dec. 28, and is, I believe, the first that has been obtained in Somersetshire. It is now in the hands of Mr. Petherick, bird stuffer, at Taunton.'

[This is not the first time that the Little Bustard has been reported to have been met with in Somerset, though it is not included in Cecil Smith's work on the birds of that county published in 1869 nor in the "Revised List of Somersetshire Birds" by the Rev. Murray Mathew, printed in 1893. Nevertheless, one was shot on Drayton Moor on Oct. 10, 1894, as noticed in The Field of Nov. 3, 1894, and another was killed on Sedgemoor in the autumn or winter of 1872, although not recorded until many years later in The Field of July 13, 1907. The specimen obtained in December last is, therefore, the third occurrence for Somersetshire so far as is known. The Great Bustard (Otis tarda) has once been met with in the county on Shapwick Peat Moor between Highbridge and Wells in September, 1870, as announced in The Field of Jan. 14, 1871. - Ed.]

H. Tetley (1938) in British Birds, Vol. XXXII. p. 199 admits this as one of three previous occurrences for Somerset.

F. L. Blathwayt (1940) in the Report on Somerset Birds, Vol. XXVII. p. 17, says: 'The bird shot by Mr. H. Humphrey at Isle Abbots on Dec. 29, 1914 [see typewritten Report, 1915, p. 4], was exhibited at the Spring Meeting of the section on 11 Apr. 1940. It was proved to be the Eastern race.'

158). 1916 Norfolk Acle/South Walsham Marshes, female, shot, 28th December.

(J. H. Gurney, jun., British Birds 10: 244; Ticehurst, 1932; Allard, 1990).

History J. H. Gurney, jun., (1917) in British Birds, Vol. X. p. 238, says: 'Over twenty Little Bustards have occurred in Norfolk. On December 28th a female, like all the rest in winter plumage, was shot in the marshes between Acle and Yarmouth, and taken to Mr. Saunders, the wind the preceding evening having been N.W.'

Ticehurst (1932: 328), says: 'I have examined this one and found it to be the eastern race, O. t. orientalis.' Allard (1990) adds: 'Went into the Lysaght collection.'

159). 1920 Cornwall Near Looe, female, shot, 1st January.

(R. J. Percy-Thomas, Field 17th Jan., 1920: 67; Eds., British Birds 13: 276; Penhallurick, 1978).

History R. J. Percy-Thomas of St. Budeaux (1920) in The Field of 17th Jan., Vol. CXXXV. p. 67, says: 'On Jan. 1 I received a specimen of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) for identification, which was shot in a field of roots on the Trelawne estate, near Looe, Cornwall. It was a hen bird and in excellent condition. I do not remember hearing of any specimen of this bird being seen or shot in this are for the past thirty years, so I consider it worth recording.'

In an Editorial (1920) in British Birds, Vol. XIII. p. 276, they say: 'Mr. R. J. Percy-Thomas records (Field, January 17th, 1920, p. 67) that on January 1st, 1920, he received for identification a female Otis tetrax, which had been shot in a field of roots on the Trelawne estate, near Looe, Cornwall.'

160). 1921 Isles of Scilly St Agnes, adult male, killed, 24th May, now at Isles of Scilly Museum.

(Penhallurick, 1978; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 42).

History Penhallurick (1978: 127) says: '1921, one killed by J. H. Hicks on St Agnes, [Scilly], on 24th May, is now in the Isles of Scilly Museum.'

161). 1922 Yorkshire Near Wadworth, Doncaster, female, shot, 9th December.

(P. Spicer & Sons, Field 30th Dec., 1922: 967; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 31: 334; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 32: 2; BOU (1938), Ibis 80: 332; H. B. Booth, Naturalist 64: 143-144; Mather, 1986).

History P. Spicer & Sons of Leamington (1922) in The Field of 30th Dec., Vol. CXL. p. 967, say: 'A female Little Bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot just outside Wedworth [sic] Wood, near Doncaster, during a Partridge drive, rising from a field of roots. It has been sent to us for preservation.'

H. F. Witherby (1938) in British Birds, Vol. XXXI. p. 334, says: 'It is now well known that two races of the Little Bustard are distinguishable. The Eastern race (Otis tetrax orientalis) inhabiting W. Siberia, Turkestan, Afghanistan, the Russian Steppes, south at least to Macedonia and Yugoslavia and apparently in eastern Germany, periodically migrates westwards and to this race the British-taken birds, hitherto critically examined, have belonged.

Only some twenty of the numerous examples obtained in this country have, however, been so examined. Recently Mr. A. Hazelwood informed me of a Little Bustard in the possession of Capt. E. W. S. Foljambe of Osberton, Notts. On being applied to Capt. Foljambe very kindly sent me the bird for examination and comparison at the Natural History Museum. Capt. Foljambe informs me that this was one of two birds shot during a Partridge drive on December 9th, 1922, on his Wadworth estate just south of Doncaster in Yorkshire. It was given to him by Mr. E. J. Noble, his shooting tenant, who shot this bird and the other cannot be traced.

The bird was stuffed by Spicer of Leamington, who sexed it as a female. This bird is clearly an example of the Western Little Bustard (Otis tetrax tetrax) and is the first British specimen of this race to be identified. The Western Little Bustard differs from the Eastern in having the upper-parts and wing-coverts of a considerably more sandy (warmer) shade of buff, while the black markings are usually less pronounced and the vermiculations rather finer.

This race inhabits Spain, Portugal and France as well as N.W. Africa. It is taken as the typical race as in describing Otis tetrax, Linnaeus gave its range as "Habitat in Europa, imprimis in Gallia" so that the typical locality is France.'

Admitted nationally in the Thirteenth List Report as the first for Britain of the Western Little Bustard, O. t. tetrax (BOU (1938) Ibis 80: 332).

H. B. Booth (1938) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. LXIV. pp. 143-144, says: 'A new Yorkshire - and British bird. The List Committee of the British Ornithologists' Union added the above bird to the official list of British Birds at their meeting on January 12th, 1938 (The Ibis, 1939, p. 332). This bird was one of two shot during a Partridge drive on December 9th, 1922, at Wadsworth, just south of Doncaster, and is in possession of the owner of the estate, Capt. E. W. S. Foljambe, of Osberton, Notts. This gentleman kindly sent the bird up to the Natural History Museum for examination by the Committee. The destiny of the other bird cannot be traced (British Birds, XXXI. p. 332).'

Admitted by H. F. Witherby (1938) in British Birds, Vol. XXXII. p. 2, under 'Additions and Alterations to the British List' as a Western Little Bustard.

Comment The second bird is not admitted as it was not known to have been seen by a competent authority and might be just an embellishment.

162). Pre 1932 Suffolk North Cove, shot, undated.

(Ticehurst, 1932).

History Ticehurst (1932) says: 'I have examined this one in Mr. H. R. Everitt's collection and found it to be the eastern race, O. t. orientalis, it was probably from North Cove.'

163). 1933 Lincolnshire Black House Farm, Addlethorpe, near Skegness, female, shot, 22nd November, now at Lincoln Museum.

(G. H. Caton Haigh, British Birds 27: 305; Smith & Cornwallis, 1955; Lorand & Atkin, 1989).

History G. H. Caton Haigh (1933) in British Birds, Vol. XXVII. p. 305, says: 'On December 5th, 1933, I received from Mr. A. Smith, of the Lincoln Museum, a beautiful specimen of the Little Bustard. He informed me that it had been shot at Black House Farm, Addlethorpe, by Mr. W. J. Cook, of Skegness, on November 22nd, and kept in cold storage till sent to the Museum.

The bird proved to be a female and I took the following measurements: Length 17 inches, wing 9¾ inches, tarsus 2½ inches, spread of wing 34 inches. I subsequently submitted it to Mr. H. F. Witherby, who identified it as belonging to the eastern form O. t. orientalis. It has been preserved by Gunn, of Norwich, for the Lincoln Museum.'

[Besides the specimens mentioned in the Practical Handbook the following have since been examined and all have been orientalis: Kincardineshire, 1912, by Dr. Hartert; two Norfolk specimens, 1835 and before 1847, in the Norwich Museum, by myself; three Suffolk specimens, one Norfolk and one Cambridgeshire by Dr. C. B. Ticehurst (Hist. Birds of Suffolk). No British specimen of O. t. tetrax has yet been identified, but there are many more Little Bustards which have not been critically examined. - H.F.W.]

164). 1935 North-east Scotland Pitfour Estate, near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, female, shot, 3rd January, photo.

(W. Tawse, Field 2nd Mar., 1935: 448, photo; Eds., Scottish Naturalist 55: 102; Eds., British Birds 29: 32; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; Thom, 1986; Phillips, 1997).

History W. Tawse of Aberdeen (1935) in The Field of 2nd Mar., Vol. CLXV. p. 448, says: 'A female specimen of the Eastern Little Bustard (Otis tetrax orientalis) was inadvertently shot on the farm of Mill of Rora, on the Pitfour estate, near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, on January 3rd, 1935. The bird rose with a cackling sound from a ploughed field in which an acre of cabbages were growing. It was in good condition and weighed 1 lb. 8 oz., and the crop was well filled with clover leaves and a few blades of grass. Dr. David Robertson, Lecturer on Agricultural Zoology at the Marischal College of Agriculture, Aberdeenshire, informs me this is the second authentic record of the occurrence of this sub-species of the Little Bustard in Scotland. I understand that the last recorded instance of this bird being shot in the North of Scotland occurred in 1912 on a farm near Stonehaven, in Kincardineshire.'

[In recording the occurrence of this bird in Scotland, we must not be supposed to encourage the idea that rare birds should be shot on sight. - Ed.]

In an Editorial (1935) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. LV. p. 102, from The Field of 2nd Mar., 1935, it says: 'A female specimen of the Eastern Little Bustard (Otis tetrax orientalis) was inadvertently shot on the farm of Mill of Rora, on the Pitfour estate, near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, on 3rd January 1935. It was in good condition and weighed 1 lb. 8 oz., and the crop was well filled with clover leaves and a few blades of grass.

This is the second authentic record of the occurrence of this sub-species of the Little Bustard in Scotland. The last recorded instance of this bird being shot in the North of Scotland occurred in 1912 on a farm near Stonehaven, in Kincardineshire.'

In an Editorial (1935) in British Birds, Vol. XXIX. p. 32, they say: 'Mr. W. Tawse reports to The Field (2.iii.'35, p. 448) that a female Little Bustard, identified as the eastern form Otis tetrax orientalis, was shot on the Pitfour Estate, near Peterhead, on January 3rd, 1935. The crop contained clover leaves and a few blades of grass. The bird weighed 1 lb. 8 oz.

A photograph bearing out the identification is reproduced.'

165). 1935 Hampshire Manor Farm, Stockbridge, shot, 14th December, now at Natural History Museum, Tring.

(K. J. Acton Davis, Field 4th Jan., 1936: 34; K. J. Acton Davis, British Birds 29: 252; R. Whitlock, South-Eastern Bird Report 1935: 62; Cohen & Taverner, 1972).

History K. J. Acton Davis of London (1936) in The Field of 4th Jan., Vol. CLXVII. p. 34, says: 'An Oriental Little Bustard (Otis tetrax orientalis) was shot on December 14th during a partridge drive at the Manor Farm, Stockbridge, Hampshire. The specimen was identified by, and is in the possession of, the South Kensington, Museum.'

K. J. Acton Davis (1936) in British Birds, Vol. XXIX. p. 252, says: 'An example of the Eastern Little Bustard (Otis tetrax orientalis) was shot on The Manor Farm, Stockbridge, Hampshire, on December 14th, 1935, during a Partridge drive. The bird has been identified by, and is in the possession of the Natural History Museum, South Kensington.'

[Mr. N. B. Kinnear informs us that the bird weighed 1 lb. 12½ ozs., the expanse of wings was 34 and nine tenths of an inch, and the stomach contained fragments of a beetle and turnip-tops. - Eds.]

R. Whitlock (1935: 62) in the South-Eastern Bird Report, quotes from British Birds.

Accepted locally (Cohen & Taverner 1972).

166). 1937 Northumberland Craster, seen, 19th and 21st November.

(Vasculum 24: 31; R. Craigs, History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club 29: 325; Galloway & Meek, 1978-83).

History R. Craigs of Catcleugh (1937) in the History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, Vol. XXIX. p. 325, under 'Ornithological and Other Notes', says: 'Nov. 19 and 21. Little Bustard (presumed), ditto.'

Accepted locally (Galloway & Meek 1978).

Comment Whether the Little Bustard is presumed to be this species, or that the ditto is presuming Craster for the locality as in the previous line/record of Goldfinches is unclear.

Craigs also records a Wallcreeper seen by Adam White in 1937 that has not been accepted nationally - casting doubt that these records have not been verified.

Eric Meek (1947-2017) had served as chair of the Scottish Birds Rarities Committee and the BOU Records Committee.

167). 1938 Carmarthenshire Laugharne Marsh, male, shot, 9th September, now at National Museum of Wales, Cardiff (Z.1938.661).

(J. F. Thomas, British Birds 32: 199; Ingram & Morrey Salmon, 1954; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994).

History J. F. Thomas (1938) in British Birds, Vol. XXXII. p. 199, says: 'On September 9th, 1938, a male Little Bustard was shot on Laugharne Marsh, Carmarthenshire, in mistake for a Curlew. The bird was given to me to send to the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; it weighed 2 lb. 2 oz. The skin, has now been examined by Mr. H. F. Witherby who has determined it as of the western race Otis tetrax tetrax. The bird had been put up from a field of long grass and rushes. My informant mentions also that on rising it uttered for a short time a note, which he likened to that of "a Cuckoo when mobbed by small birds".'

Accepted locally (Ingram & Morrey Salmon 1954).

168). 1940 Kent Walland Marsh, seen, 12th April.

(R. B. Burrowes, British Birds 34: 183-184; Harrison, 1953).

History R. B. Burrowes (1940) in British Birds, Vol. XXXIV. pp. 183-184, says: 'About 3 p.m., April 12th, 1940, when walking with Mr. John Potter of Cambridge University along a grassy bank bordering the RSPB bird sanctuary on Walland Marsh, a bird, not in shape but in flight and size similar to a duck, rose from the ground about 40 yards from us. When at its highest point (30 to 40 feet) and still comparatively close to us, the chief thing noticeable was the great expanse of white it showed. In that position and at that moment nearly all that part of the bird exposed to our view including part of the wings showed an expanse of pure white. Without rising higher the bird came down again and I was able to view it at about eighty yards distant through my x 8 binoculars from behind a post and rail fence. It appeared crouching in the grass broadside on to me and all I could see was the top of its back, its head and slightly long neck, similar to that of a hen Pheasant or Partridge, stretched out and evidently looking our way. No white plumage could be seen, only a nondescript greyish brown. In the meantime Mr. Potter, by stalking, got within about 10 yards of the bird which turned its head facing him before springing up again. All he could note was that its head appeared rather darker than the rest of its plumage with a light mark above the eyes and a mottled breast. We came to the conclusion that this bird was a Little Bustard Otis tetrax.'

169). 1944 Hampshire Baring’s Farm, Avington, January; also seen at Bighton and Chawton Park, near Alton, January.

(B. Vesey-Fitzgerald, Papers & Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society 1944; R. Whitlock, South-Eastern Bird Report 1945: 11; Eds., British Birds 40: 31; Cohen & Taverner, 1972).

History B. Vesey-Fitzgerald (1944) in the Papers & Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society, p. 217, and R. Whitlock (1945) in the South-Eastern Bird Report, p. 11, says: 'Major M. Portal writes to E. McE.: Otis tetrax: one appeared in early January at Avington, on Baring's Farm, later seen Avington Park and near by. Later, one reported Bighton and Chawton Park, near Alton - whether same bird or others is unknown. Seen in root-field first on Baring's Farm.

It is curious, but in almost all prior occurrences in this county, the bird has always occurred in turnip fields, and in January: one shot by Lord Palmerston at Broadlands 1810; one shot, January 4th, 1873, at Whitchurch, in a turnip field and bird sent to British Museum; one in Isle of Wight, January 2nd, 1875, in turnips. There were five others shot in England in the same winter. One shot January 9th, 1879, between Fareham and Gosport. In 1897 one was flushed in turnips near Grateley Station. The coast of Suffolk and Norfolk seems to get most.'

In an Editorial (1947) in British Birds, Vol. XL. p. 31, in a Review of the Ornithological Report for the County of Hampshire, for 1944, they say: 'A Little Bustard appeared at Avington in early January, and later one was reported at Bighton and Chawton Park, perhaps the same bird.'

170). 1946 Gloucestershire Near Rectory Farm, Turksdean, Northleach, adult female, 20th May to 30th July when shot.

(Swaine, 1982).

History Swaine (1982) says: 'One was seen near Rectory Farm, Turkdean, Northleach, for several weeks from 20th May 1946. The bird was then shot on 30th July and is preserved in the farmhouse. Apparently it is an adult female. Subspecific identification was not carried out at the time, and Bernard Tucker later considered it impossible to do so after comparison with skins in the British Museum of Natural History.'

171). 1946 Wiltshire Little Wishford, Salisbury, adult male, seen, 16th July, 18th and 21st July and 20th September.

(R. G. Barnes, Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Society 51; E. G. Parsons & R. G. Barnes, British Birds 40: 126-127; Buxton, 1981; Wiltshire Ornithological Society, 2007).

History E. G. Parsons & Ruth G. Barnes (1947) in British Birds, Vol. XL. pp. 126-127, say: 'A Little Bustard was seen feeding in a clover field at Little Wishford, Salisbury, on July 16th, 1946, at 8.30 p.m. by E. G. Parsons and Squadron Leader Scotter. It was seen again on July 18th by E.G.P. and later the same day by him, this time accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Peall, Mr. G. W. Collett and Mrs. R. G. Barnes. We approached the bird by car, of which it showed little fear, and this time we were able to watch it at a distance of not more than ten yards. We were able to note the black and white gorgets of the adult male, the sandy mantle, and white under-parts. There was no trace of the slate marking on its head, as shown in The Handbook illustration, the head being brown with light eye-stripe, and the iris pale yellow. After a few minutes the bird rose and flew some 80 yards. When in flight, a large amount of white was shown in the wings, under the tail and on the under-parts. The wing-beats were rapid, and in gliding down the wings were bowed like a grouse. When flushed again from the clover, it flew into an adjoining field of potatoes. It was seen again on July 21st by B. Brown. The bird was observed again in the same place on September 20th, but not subsequently.'

Accepted locally (Buxton 1981; Wiltshire Ornithological Society 2007).

1950-57 RECORDS

172). 1952 Kent Near Hernhill, Faversham, immature male, shot, 5th January, photo.

(J. V. Clarke & J. M. Harrison, British Birds 45: 428-429; E. H. Gillham, Kent Bird Report 1952: 11; Harrison, 1953, plate xxvii).

History J. V. Clarke (1952) in British Birds, Vol. XLV. p. 428, says: 'On January 5th, 1952, I was told that an unusual bird had been shot near Hernhill, Kent. It had been put up from a young fruit plantation on open ground on a small hill overlooking the marshes towards the Isle of Sheppey. The chief features of the bird while in flight were the white underparts and the whirring of the wings. After consulting The Handbook we came to the conclusion that it was a Little Bustard (Otis tetrax). The specimen was forwarded to Dr. J. M. Harrison.'

J. M. Harrison (1952) in British Birds, Vol. XLV. pp. 428-429, says: 'The specimen referred to above was sent to me by Mr. R. R. Dixon, and, on comparison of specimens of both races in the National collection in the British Museum, it is clearly referable to the nominate form, Otis t. tetrax. It is perhaps significant that the wind for some days previously had been blowing persistently from the south or south-west and was often of gale force. The bird is an immature male, and has not quite completed its moult as the juvenile primaries in each wing are retained. The crop was tightly packed with vegetable fragments which, according to Dr. G. Taylor of the Botanical Department of the British Museum, seemed to be the Field Cabbage (Brassica campestris). The scanty insect remains were identified by Mr. E. A. Duffy of the Entomological Department as belonging to the coleopterous species Pterostichus melanarius (Illiger) and Nebria brevicollis Fabricius.

The present specimen represents only the fourth identified example of the Western race, and is the first instance of this form for Kent. The bird is in my collection.'

E. H. Gillham (1952) in the Kent Bird Report, Vol. I. p. 11, says: 'A bird shot on Jan. 5 near Herne Hill, proved on examination to be an immature male of the nominate form, Otis t. tetrax.'

173). 1952 Wiltshire Marlborough Downs, male, shot, mid-May.

(R. G. Barnes & G. Pierson, Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine 1953: 48; Eds., British Birds 47: 213; Buxton, 1981; Palmer, 1991; Wiltshire Ornithological Society, 2007).

History Ruth G. Barnes & Guy Peirson (1953) in the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine, Vol. LV. p. 48, under 'Wiltshire Bird Notes for 1952', say: 'A male of this species was shot by a malefactor with a rifle on Salisbury Plain in the middle of May. The copse was identified by L.G.P.: it has been stuffed and is in the Marlborough College Museum. It was critically examined at Oxford but, though it resembles the Western race rather than the Eastern, it cannot be attributed with certainty to either.' However, Wiltshire Ornithological Society (2007) state that the locality was 'Broad Town' which is just north of the Marlborough Downs (MCNHS).

174). 1955 Lincolnshire Gosberton Cheal, near Spalding, shot, 30th December.

(R. K. Cornwallis & A. E. Smith, Lincolnshire Bird Report 1955: 12; Transactions of the Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union 1957: photo; D. I. M. Wallace, Cambridge Bird Club Report 1956: 15; Cornwallis, 1970; Lorand & Atkin, 1989).

History R. K. Cornwallis & A. E. Smith (1955) in the Lincolnshire Bird Report, p. 12, say: 'Gosberton Cheal, one shot, 30/12 (per T.H.W. and A.H.S.). The bird was identified at the Norwich Museum as being of the Western race Otis tetrax occidentalis. The only one of the five birds previously recorded in Lincolnshire that was racially determined was of the Eastern race, O. t. orientalis.'

D. I. M. Wallace (1956: 15) in the Cambridge Bird Club Report, says: '1955. One shot at Gosberton Cheal on December 30th (L.B.R. 1955).'

175). 1956 Yorkshire Aldbrough, first-winter male, shot, 10th November, now at Bolton Museum.

(R. Chislett & E. W. Taylor, Naturalist 82: 54; Mather, 1986).

History R. Chislett & E. W. Taylor (1957) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. LXXXII. p. 54, says: 'One was shot when flying to a small pond near Aldbrough (E.R.) on November 10th (J. S. Fisher)...A. Hazelwood diagnosed the former as a first-winter male of the Western race (O. t. tetrax) in good conditions with stomach full of a Brassica, probably turnip tops...The racial differentiation has been confirmed by Col. R. Meinertzhagen.'

176). 1956 Yorkshire Near Preston, Holderness, adult female, shot, 20th November, now at Bolton Museum.

(R. Chislett & E. W. Taylor, Naturalist 82: 54; Mather, 1986).

History R. Chislett & E. W. Taylor (1957) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. LXXXII. p. 54, says: '...A second was shot from barley stubble undersown trefoil near Preston, c. six miles from the Aldbrough pond, on November 20th (R. Stephenson)...the second as an adult female of the Eastern race (O. t. orientalis). The racial differentiation has been confirmed by Col. R. Meinertzhagen.'

AC Non-pass

Keith Naylor

Little Bustard (1/2)

Tetrax tetrax (Linnaeus, 1758) (171, 5)

Asian Bustard

Little Bustard (2/2)