DUBUN NATTRAL HISTOBT 80CIETT. 71 



AVE8. 



DECEMBER 18, 1851. 



ON TBE OCCUBRENCB OF THE CRANE (ORUS CINEBBA) IN IRELAND. BT WILLIAM 

 ANDREWS, M.R.I. A. 



In looking through the numerous writers on the subject of British Ornitho- 

 logy, 1 find the traditions and opinions adopted by almost every author to prore 

 that the crane was at one time by no means uncommon in the fenny districts of 

 England, and also in Scotland, making its visits in numerous flocks, with great 

 regularity, during the periods of its migrations : and it has even been stated to 

 have bred in the marshes of Cambridgeshire. The dates of these records, how- 

 ever, are at very remote periods; for even more than one hundred andfifty years 

 past but occasional visits had been noticed, Simon Latham, who published 

 on falconrv, ** The Falconer's Lure and Cure," in 1633, mentions the crane 

 as the noblest of game. 



The most recent authority on the birds of this country (Mr. Thompson) in 

 the quaint style that precedes the history of each species, states, ** is an ex- 

 tremely rare visitant;'* and he has in the second volume of his •' Natural His- 

 tory of Ireland," given the few notices which his indefatigable researches into 

 the records, histories, and occurrences of the birds of the country enabled him to 

 trace. These, since the remarks by Smith, in the histories of the counties of 

 Waterford and of Cork, of the crane having been seen during the remarkable 

 frost in 1739, are but two — one mentioned by Mr. Glennon as having been shot 

 in the county of Gal way early in the present century, and the other shot in Tra- 

 lee Bay, by the Rev. John Chute, about the year 1826. The subject of the pre- 

 sent paper then forms the next record of the appearance in Ireland of this ma- 

 jestic bird. Mr. Thompson remarks that if the bird mentioned by Giraldus were 

 the true crane, it was as plentiful in Ireland as it was in early times in Eng- 

 land ; but so many doubts have been thrown on the descriptions of early writers 

 in confounding the crane with the heron, that the notices of its once frequenting 

 the country in such vast numbers appear questionable. Even at the present day, 

 the distinction between the crane and the heron, excepting to those versed in 

 ornithology, seems to be but little understood. 



The Irish name, ♦♦bonan liana," for the crane, is equally applicable to the 

 heron, as the term, "bonan buidhe," is to the bittern. 



The splendid and graceful bird which 1 have the pleasure of submitting to 

 the meeting this evening, was sent to me by Maurice O'Connell, Esq., M.P., to 

 be presented, in his name, to the Society. It was shot on the 5th of Nx)vember 

 last, in the county of Kerry, not far from Darrynane Abbey. A pair of these 

 fine birds were seen together, about a week previously, to the north-westward of 

 Darrynane, frequenting a place called Coom a Cloncane, or the *' Hollow of the 

 Sloucane." Being disturbed there, they resorted to a marsh to the eastward of 

 the Abbey, where the present bird was shot. Every eflFort was made to trace the 

 survivor, but unsuccessfully. About a fortnight after, a flock of five of these 

 birds appeared on the strand of Ballinskelligs Bay. Four of the birds took to 

 flight on being approached, but the fifth remained for some time, and (as de- 

 scribed) seemed looking for its companions, or probably it may have received 

 some shot when the other bird was brought down. Mr. O'Connell has kindly 

 directed a sharp look-out to be kept for other incidents of this kind. 



Mr. Gordon opened it when I was present. It is a male bird, and the trachea, 

 or windpipe, which has been preserved (together with the sternum), passes 

 with several reflections, or convolutions, deeply into the sternum, or breast- 

 bone. The stomach was strong and muscular, the internal surface coated with 

 rasp-like processes. It contained a quantity of the roots of the water whorl 



