W. II. St. Quintin—The Mantchurian Crane



brooded about 5 yards from the nest. On the next afternoon both

were able to walk a little, and that evening they were brooded quite

50 yards away.


On June 9 my keeper found that the Crane family had crossed the

water (some 35 yards wide), and were exploiting a paddock where some

stray sheep were running. Later they had crossed back into their

own territory. I watched them afterwards cross the water more than

once, and it was pretty to see them make the passage. The parents

all the time kept up a “ honking ” note, like a distant motor-horn,

the male leading and the female coming a few yards behind, with

a young one on each side of her. The old birds could wade, but the

little Cranes swan like young Geese.


On July 10 the young Cranes looked well and had grown appreciably,

especially as to their legs. They could walk slowly along between

the parents, who caught flies off the long grass and dug up worms, etc.,

reaching out the prey to the young ones who came forward to receive

it. I could see that the young Cranes regarded me uneasily, but the

old ones took no notice, and the little ones were soon reassured.


About this time we began to miss the ducklings of several species

of Teal—Blue-winged, Cinnamon, Chestnut-breasted, Chilian, and

Brazilian—which were being reared by their parents, and unaccountably

disappeared while in the down. The Cranes had lived amicably for

seven years with the waterfowl, without ever interfering with them,

and in the previous summer (1918) several broods grew up to maturity

in the same enclosure ; but we soon had sufficient evidence to convict

the Cranes. Although the young birds were getting, besides meal,

chopped horseflesh and boiled rabbit, in addition to such animal food

as the parents could collect for them, the latter evidently settled that

the meat ration must be increased, and the results were disastrous.

One morning the old Cranes were found breaking up a half-grown

Moorhen, and feeding the young with such pieces as they could

wrench off, for, of course, they did not use their feet. 1 dared not

confine the Cranes and found it impossible to catch up the young Teal

with their parents, so I had to leave them to chance. It was sad to

see the fine broods diminishing daily, and eventually I lost nearly

forty ducklings of the above species. Besides being very aquatic,



