ARDEID^. 445 



Tliey liave a large and strong bill, wliicli is some- 

 times straight and pointed, sometimes more or less 

 arcked at the extremity ; tlieir nostrils are placed 

 in large grooves, and generally near the middle of 

 the upper mandible. Their legs are of great length 

 and rather slender, with the tarsi compressed and 

 covered in front with broad shields, and the naked 

 skin continued upwards to a considerable distance 

 on the tibia. The toes are rather long-, with the 

 exception of the hinder one, which is small and 

 elevated on the back of the tarsus, so that it does 

 not touch the ground in walking ; the two outer 

 anterior toes are united at the base by a small mem- 

 brane. The tail is usually very short, and in the 

 true Cranes the tertiaries are greatly developed, 

 forming elegant floating plumes, which hang grace- 

 fully over the hinder part of the bird, and often 

 give it a most graceful appearance. The head is fre- 

 quently adorned with a crest. The favourite haunts 

 of the Crane are marshy districts, where it finds in 

 abundance the worms, mollusks, and frogs that con- 

 stitute a great part of its nourishment. Its nest is 

 generally placed among the thick reeds, osiers, and 

 luxuriant herbage of the marsh, but occasionally on 

 the top of some ruined building. The female lays 

 only two eggs. 



The t}'pe of this sub-family, — 



The Common Crane {Grufi cinerea), is common in many 

 parts of the Eastern Continent, passing the summer in 

 temperate climates, and returning southwards on the 

 approach of winter. The periodical migrations of these 

 birds are remarkable for their punctuality, it having been 

 observed that during a long series of years they have 

 invariably traversed France in the month of October, 

 returning during the latter half of the month of March. 

 On these occasions they always fly in large flocks. 



They move with rapidity, and alight during the day 

 to rest and feed. At other seasons these birds cease to 

 be gregarious, and repair to swamps and morasses, wliere 

 in spring each pair, builds a rude nest of reeds and rushes 



X 



