66 LOST AND VANISHING BIRDS 



parties unite into the large flocks which are so 

 characteristic of the annual journeys of this magni- 

 ficent bird. For the remainder of the season the 

 Crane is gregarious, and the movements of these 

 winter flocks are very regular. 



The adult Crane has the general colour of the 

 plumage slate-grey, shading into black on the quills ; 

 of these the innermost secondaries are very elong- 

 ated, and fall in graceful plumes over the tail ; from 

 the eye along the side of the head and the sides of 

 the upper neck is a white streak ; the crown is bare 

 of feathers, covered with scarlet warty skin ; whilst 

 the forehead and the lores are equally devoid of 

 plumage, but covered with blackish bristles. The 

 female closely resembles the male in colour, but the 

 plumes are smaller. These are entirely wanting 

 in the young, which have bufiish margins to the 

 feathers, and the bare parts of the head are clothed 

 with plumage. The Crane stands nearly four feet 

 high, and is from three to four feet in length. 



