SIX MONTHS BIRD COLLECTING IN EGYPT. 205 



great flocks were slowly sailing grandly round — in magnifi- 

 cent circles. This was in the second week in March, Their 

 pinions were almost motionless, their necks were stretched 

 a little downwards, and their whole appearance was 

 majestic. Perhaps moved by curiosity, they came right 

 over the Diabeyha, and I then saw that it was not a game of 

 " foUow-my-leader," but that each marked out its own circle 

 and took its own separate course. 



At other times they might be seen on the ground, march- 

 ing off with great strides, like a much better drilled regiment 

 of soldiers than any the Viceroy has. I believe it is con- 

 sidered a great feat to shoot a Crane, as they are notoriously 

 shy and wary birds. Only once was it our luck to do so. On 

 the 27th of February we had gone out for a long walk near 

 Minieh, and we came upon a pair in an open field. They 

 were standing still with their heads bent down to the ground, 

 and really they looked such large brown creatures that it 

 was difficult to believe they were birds at all. On one side 

 of the field were some beans about three feet high, on the 

 other a yellowish crop like mustard. Mr. Russell hid him- 

 self in the former, and I, taking a circuit, concealed myself 

 in the latter. When plenty of time had been allowed us, 

 the Cranes were put up and made straight for the beans. 

 I heard two reports, and saw one bird go on : this was the 

 cock. Mr. Russell had shot the hen. If he had killed it 

 with his first barrel he would easily have got both. It 

 weighed eleven pounds. We tied it to a large stick, and I 

 fancy the Arab who carried it on board was not sorry when 

 tJiat job was over. The red skin on the head turned black 

 next day, and red again after it was skinned. The length 

 as noted down at the time was forty inches ; the expanse 

 fifty-one. I looked for the ova of parasites on the axillaries 

 which I had found in all my British specimens, but there 

 were not any. 



No doubt Hasselquist was correct in supposing that the 



