GRus. 235 



Gen HaematopuS. — Linn. 



Bill straight, long, very slightly bent upwards; nostrils linear in a 

 long cleft ; toes three, all placed forward, no hind toe. 



Ilaematopus OStralegUS, Lin.; Gould. R. Eur. pi. 300; Jercl. B. 

 Incl. iii. pp. 660, 661 ; Str. F. i. p. 234 ; Murray, Edhk., ZooL, 8fc., 

 Sind, p. 212. — The Oystbe-Catcher. 



Entire head, neck, breast, upper back, scapulars and tail black 5 

 lower orbital feathers white ,- lower back, and entire lower parts white, 

 also a ring round the throat ; primaries black, the inner webs and 

 part of the outer webs of all, except the first two quills, white ; the 

 white on the outer webs of the innermost primaries spreading to the 

 edges y secondaries basally and narrowly at tip white, with a subter- 

 miual black band; greater coverts and some of the secondaries and 

 lower tertiaries white, forming a large wing patch; lesser and primary 

 coverts black; bill orange yellow, or bright scarlet, 3"5 to 3/5 inches 

 long ; irides lake red ; orbits orange. 



Length. — 16 to 1 7 inches, wing 10'5, tail 4, tarsus 2'25. 



Hob. — Europe, Siberia, India, Ceylon, Afghaniston, Tjeloochistan, 

 Persian Gulf, Sind, the Eastern and Western Coasts of India; in fact has 

 a very wide distribution. Inhabitants of the sea shores, being seldom 

 found inland. It lives chiefly on molluscs, worms, &c., and is said to 

 easily disengage limpets from the rocks, and to pluck out the oysters 

 from their half-opened shells, with its admirably adapted wedge-shaped 

 bill. Oyster-Catchers feed in the mornings and evenings, and also at 

 night, and are at all times watchful and shy in their habits. 



Family, GRUID^. 



Bill long ; mandibles equal ; nostrils in a deep groove ; wings long; 

 tertials long ; tail short, even ; tarsi long, scutelated. 



Grus. — Bill moderately long, straight, somewhat thick,- slightly 

 flattened at the base and curved to the tip ; 3rd and 4th quills of wing 

 longest -f tail short ; tarsi with transverse scales ; hind toe very short. 



Grus antigone, Linn.; Ediv. B. pi. 45; Jerd. B. Ind. iii. p. 662; 

 Str. F. vi. 458 ; Murraij, Edhk., Zool., §'C; Sind., p. 212. — The Sarus 

 Crane. 



Head and neck naked, covered behind with numerous crimson papilla, 

 and clad with a few black hairs, which accumulate below 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 a blue 

 or French grey, which is the colour of the whole plumage; the quills and 

 inner webs of the tail feathers being dusky slaty ; seasonally it assumes 

 a pure white collar immediately below the crimson papillose ; skin of the 

 neck, and some of the tertiaries and scapulars become white, lengthened, 

 hang over gracefully and exceed the tail in length ; bill pale sea green, 

 brownish at the tip ; irides orange red ; legs and feet pale rosy red. 



Length. — 52 inches, wing 26, tail 925, bill at front 6*25, tarsi 12'5 

 to 13, — {Jerdon).. 



