On the Occurrence of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda,
L.) and of the' Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo
lagopus, Gm.), near Chelmsford, during the
Winter of 1879.
By R. M. CHRISTY.
(Read February 28th, 1880.)
As Dr. Bree observed in the Field a few weeks ago, one hears
strange things this winter, and stranger, perhaps, than all
else have been the variations of the weather. A year of
almost unprecedented meteorological phenomena closed
with a month of still greater weather disturbances, not the
least remarkable being the excessive frost on the night of
December 6th. An account of the meteorology of the year
1879, and its consequences, includes an account of many
of the catastrophes and events of that year. It is pro-
bably to the vagaries of the weather we must look for
an explanation of the unusual fact that during the month
of December last a Great Bustard was actually shot in our
county.
The occurrence of so interesting a bird, and the fact
that no minute account of its appearance has hitherto been
made public, prompt me to present this note to the mem-
bers of our County Club, as it seems to me they are
the persons who should take most interest in the case.
Our rare and distinguished visitor was (of course) shot, so
that we cannot boast of having received it in a very
hospitable maimer; and the only reparation we can make
is to record the visit, and thus perpetuate its memory.
The facts of the case are as follows :—On the morning
of Friday, the 5th of December last, soon after daybreak,
Mr. Albert Pertwee (of Woodham Ferrers) was laid up
close to Hull Bridge in that parish on the north side, and
B