6&2 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Gen. Grus, Lin. 



Char. — Bill moderately long, straight, somewhat thick ; mandi- 

 bles nearly equal, compressed, with the tip subulate ; nostrils 

 apart, placed near the middle of the bill in a broad and deep 

 groove closed posteriorly by membrane ; wings long, ample, 3rd 

 quill longest ; tail short ; tibia much denuded ; tarsi lengthened, 

 scutellated in front ; toes short, strong ; nails blunt ; hallux short, 

 raised. 



The true Cranes have generally the region about the base of 

 the bill and orbits, and sometimes the whole head, nude. They 

 are birds of very large size, of grey or white plumage, with the 

 tertiaries lengthened and overhanging. They are divided into 

 three genera in Gray's List. 



The first is Antigo7ie, Reichenbach, distinguished by its huge 

 size, naked and papillose head and neck, and strong, elongated bill. 



863. Grus antigone, Linn^us. 



Ardea, apud Linn^us — Blyth, Cat. 1615— Jerdon, Cat. 

 297— Edwards, Birds, pi. 45— G. torquata, Vieillot,— G. 

 orientalis, Pallas — P. E. 865 — Saras^ H., sometimes Sarhans— 

 Cyrus Crane of some. 



The Sarus Crane. 



Descr. — Head and neck naked and covered for three or four 

 inches with numerous crimson papilla}, clad with a few scant 

 black hairs, which accumulate into a broad ring on the neck 

 and form a sort of mane down the nape of the neck ; ear-coverts 

 white ; below this the neck is whitish grey, which gradually passes 

 into the pale blue or French grey, which is the color of the whole 

 plumage, the quills and inner webs of the tail feathers being dusky 

 slaty. 



At the breeding season, in the month of April, they assume 

 a pure v^hite collar, immediately below the crimson papillose 

 skin of the neck, which also becomes brighter in colour ; and in 

 old birds, the tertiaries and some of the scapulars become white 

 and are lengthened, hanging over gracefully, and exceeding the 

 tail. 



