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into danger, after getting out of it’s enclosure. I once lost a fine pair of

Common Cranes, by a fox, from this cause. And, only three years ago,

three of the magnificent Mantchurian Cranes escaped from Woborn, from

being imperfectly pinioned, and were murdered in this district (E. Yorks.),

having been able to stray so far.


A Crane, like a Seagull, can fly with a considerably shortened wing ;

and it is necessary, in pinioning them, to take at least eight feathers off, if

their enclosure is spacious enough for them to take a run against a head

wind.


I may add that three persons are required to operate on a bird of the

size of one of the larger Cranes.


In the case of a waterbird, the cold water staunches the bleeding at

once. Rut it is surprising how little notice any bird takes of this operation,

if quickly performed; and it appears to mind it a good deal less than it’s

owner.


As regards the food of the Crowned Cranes, in the splendid collection

of these birds at Lilford, the two species are represented ; and I find on

enquiry that they are fed entirely on grain, bread, and barley meal. And

there they do not appear to care for animal food of an}- sort, contrary to

what has been recorded of these birds in the wild state, where they are

both described as feeding on small reptiles, and wading in flooded places

after fish (Tegetmeier’s ‘ Monograph of the Cranes.’*) In the same work,

Buffon is quoted as having found that a Western Crowned Crane in his

possession preferred boiled rice to anything else. vSome Sarus and Demoi¬

selle Cranes of mine are all very fond of .Spratt’s meal and crissel, scalded,

and dried into a crumbly mass with ground oats. This, with grain of

various kinds, boiled potato, and bread, is their food ; besides what they

can pick up in their enclosure, which in summer amounts to a good deal.


Except in warm weather, the bird under notice had much better be

shut in at night. In fact it would be wise, in every possible respect, to

continue, during the cold weather, the treatment to which it has been

accustomed.


At Lilford Hall, the Crowned Cranes are shut in all the winter in

sunny, but unheated, houses.


As to whether the Crowned Cranes dance — I am almost certain that I

have seen them do so at Lilford. Mr. Tegetmeier’s Enlarged Reprint of

Blytli’s ‘Monograph of the Cranes,’ on p. 22, speaks of the B. pnvonina

dancing. I think there can be no doubt about it at all. But a bird of this

size, which has for two years been confined in a ‘ cage ’ five yards square,

would scarcely find room to ‘ do his steps ’ ! I am well pleased to hear that

he will have more space now, at his new home. W. H. ST. Quintin.


[Note. — There is also the Cape Crowned Crane, Baleaiica chrysopelar-

gus, which has the bare sides of the face white with a line of vermilion on

the upper margin, which is rounded. I11 the Museum Catalogue, a third

species is recognised, B. gibbericeps, in which the upper margin of the bare

face is produced in a small triangle to the sides of the occiput. — R. P.j



(«). Strictly speaking:, it is a Monograph of Mr. Edward Blyth, reprinted and

enlarged (considerably) by Mr. Tegetmeier. — W. H. Sr. Q.



