62 



Man&ering6 in tbe %oo. 



By J. E. R. McDoNAGH, M.R.C.S., F.Z.S. 



It is my intention this month to briefly notice 

 the remainder of the birds on the Northern side of 

 the Canal, taking in the Cranes' Paddocks, the Owl 

 Cages, which are now to the right of the Insect 

 House, their old habitat being now occupied by the 

 Civets, and the Northern Pheasantry. Before starting 

 I might just mention that a new Blue Sugar Bird 

 (^Daaiis cay and) has recently been added to the 

 collection in the Insect House. 



The Cranes' Paddocks as such are comparatively 

 new, having been previously occupied by the Japanese 

 Deer. Recently they have been turfed, and arranged 

 with rockwork and little streams of water, constitut- 

 ing a most natural looking abode for their present 

 inhabitants. In it we see specimens of the Manchurian 

 Crane, or Eastern Sarus, a bird frequently kept in 

 captivity by the Japanese and forming the well known 

 subject of their designers. This is one of the finest 

 of the Cranes. Then there is the Demoiselle or 

 Numidian Crane, distinguished from every other by 

 its long white ear-tufts, and the Asiatic White Crane 

 perhaps the finest of the Family, with nearly the 

 whole plumage of a snowy white. There are also 

 some Common Cranes, (formerly natives of England 

 but now onl}^ very rare stragglers), Canadian, and 

 White-necked Cranes. 



The Crowned Cranes for specific distinctions are 

 placed in a separate genus ; they are extremely 

 beautiful birds from Africa. The Crown con.sists of 

 black glossy cap-like velvet, consisting of fine feathers, 



