664 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Bill and naked skin of the face red ; legs red. Length about 

 4 feet ; extent 8 feet. 



This fine Crane appears to be a rare winter visitant to several parts 

 of North- Western India. A figure of it is among the drawings 

 of Sir A. Burnes, and it has been observed occasionally by sports- 

 men in the Punjab, in Rajasthan, and in the interior of the 

 Himalayas. Mountaineer particularly notices ' a large white Crane.' 

 It is an inhabitant of Northern Asia and Japan. 



To the same group belongs the beautiful Grus montignesia, 

 Bonap., from Mantchouria. Grus australasiana of Australia, the 

 " native companion" of settlers, is exceedingly close to G. antigone. 



The next species is the type of restricted Grus, having the beak 

 shorter, high and sloping at the base, straight for its terminal half. 

 It comprises several species from tlie Old World and Australia, 

 and two from America. 



865. Grus cinerea, Bechstein. 



Blyth, Cat. 1616— Jerdon, Cat. 298— Gould, Birds of 

 Europe, pi. 270 — G. antigone, Sykes, Cat. 168 — Ardea Grus, 

 Linn. — Kulang, H, — Kallam, Mahr. — Kulangi, Tel. 



The Common Crane. 



Descr. — Forehead and cheeks nude, with black bristly hairs ; 

 crown nude, dull orange red ; occiput, throat, and fore part of 

 the neck, of a deep blackish grey ; between the eyes, sides of 

 the head and upper part of the neck white, as is the greater part 

 of the back of the neck, but the colour impure and with a 

 reddish tinge ; all the upper part of the body and the lower 

 plumage dark ashy blue; quills and greater coverts dull black; 

 secondaries and tertiaries grey, black tipped, the latter narrowing 

 to a point with the barbs of the uppermost feathers disunited, 

 and all arching down and forming an elegant tuft of floating 

 plumes which it is able to erect at pleasure. 



Bill glaucous green at the base, blackish green in the middle, 

 the tip dark horny; irides yellowish red, reddish brown in some ; 

 legs and feet dull black. Length 3 to 3i feet ; extent 6 feet ; wing 

 21 inches ; tail 8 ; tarsus 8^ ; bill at front 4. Weight about 12 lbs. 



