■|"H1-: \P,\S AND CRAM-:. 1 oi-> 



of cur\'e than is exhibited hy the demoiselle. There is no 

 bald patch on the head of the \iryin crane. On the contrar\-. 

 the crown of bluish slate is heii^htened in appearance by the 

 black of the cheeks, neck, and pendent tuft, whilst in sharp 

 contrast aj^ainst these there is a tuft of white feathers springing 

 from the side of the head behind the eye, and standing out 

 be5'ond the back of the head a distance of two inches or so. 

 something as a bunch of quill pens might do, forming one 

 of the jauntiest bits of ornamentation to be seen in the whole 

 avian world. The remainder of the body is a bluish slate 

 colour, with black edging to the feathers, and practically 

 black terminations to the tail feathers which in this species 

 nearly reach the ground, instead of hanging only as far as 

 the knee as is the case in most of the crane tribe. Altogether. 

 the demoiselle need not fear comparison even with its- 

 magnihcent Siberian cousin. The height, however, is some- 

 what less, being only about three feet three inches. 



Of (jn.'s \'//)/o, 1 know extremely little. Pere Davjd 

 tells us it is well known in Manchuria, along the bank of the 

 Amur and the Ussuri, as also in the north-west proviiices of 

 China. It is desci'ibed as having a slaty grey body, a pure 

 white head and neck, with black forehead and cheeks, and 

 red legs. 



# The white-headed variet\'isalsocommon in thenorth-west 

 provinces, though in summer it is frequently seen in Ivorea 

 and Japan. It is of a slat}^ brown colour running almost to 

 sootj' black at times. Only the head and neck carry the 

 white feathers which give its name. So marked, it is easy 

 to be distinguished from the other species. The three 

 specimens in the Shanghai Museum vary in height from 

 between two and a half to three feet. 



I have left G. cincrca. the common gre}- bird, to the last. 

 This, at its full height, will bear comparison in stature with 

 the largest of the others, standing a good four feet when full 

 grown. Long ages ago he was a native British bird, and 

 even now, moved thereto, perhaps, b\- long hereditary 

 suggestion, a stray specimen or two will stretch the summer 

 jaunt sufficiently to be seen along the Norfolk Broads or 

 amongst the marshes of Essex. Cranes migrate at immense 

 heights, sometimes in the V shape taken by geese, sometimes 

 in a modified form of it in which there is a third line parallel 

 with one of the others and so forming a second \' within the 

 first, and sometimes with the other side also doubled making 

 a W. Even at their highest, however, the loud trumpet calls 

 of the birds may be heard as they answer each other, possibK- 

 only for companionship, perhaps, however, in response to 

 .directions from the leader. A soft ashen grey is the general 

 colour of the common crane, though its primaries are black". 



