724 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



ty, so there seems little to hope 

 for from this source. The Zoo- 

 logical Society is fortunate 

 enough to possess a very fine 

 whooper and it is hoped that he 

 will be blessed with the usual 

 longevitj' of his race. 



The Manchurian Crane, (G. 

 japonensis), is one of the most 

 strikingly handsome of all the 

 group. It is very uncommon 

 in captivity, and now for the 

 first time is represented in the 

 collection. Its general color is 

 white, as in the whooper, but in 

 this case the arched and pointed 

 secondaries are black and the 

 primaries white. A slaty-black 

 band extends down each side of 

 the neck, the two joining on the 

 nape. The bird measures about 

 fifty inches from tip to tip when 

 fully extended. It ranges from 

 eastern Siberia to Corea and 

 Japan; in the last-named island 

 it was formerly held sacred and 

 was allowed to be hawked by the 

 nobles only. The cranes depict- 

 ed on Japanese screens are usu- 

 ally of this species. 



Next in systematic order comes 

 the Asiatic White Crane, (Sarco- 

 geranus leucogeranus). It is con- 

 siderably smaller than the fore- 

 going, and is found from south- 

 eastern Europe to China and .Japan. It is white, 

 the primaries black, and the head bare and red- 

 dish in color. The immature birds of this spe- 

 cies, as well as those of the whooper, have the 

 white plumage infused with cinnamon-buff, giv- 

 ing them a remarkable appearance. This is one 

 of those species more easily obtained alive, and 

 is brought to this country in some numbers. It 

 is quite hardy and easily tamable. The sijeci- 

 men in the Zoological Park, however, has a tem- 

 per so irascible that he cannot be approached 

 with impunity and is no longer allowed the free- 

 dom of the large paddock. 



Of the larger cranes, the Sarus, (^Antigone 

 antigone) , an Indian species, is most commonly 

 seen in collections. It is the tallest of the 

 Order, sometimes attaining a length of sixty 

 inches. Its color is a handsome French gray, 

 the over-hanging secondaries closely approach- 

 ing white; the head and the upper part of the 

 neck are bare and reddish, the gray feathers of 

 the lower neck being bordered above by a band 



SANDHILL CRANE. 



of white. The sarus is a most 

 ^ igorous bird and inclined to be 

 li.uigerous when associated with 

 smaller and weaker species ; its 

 lieight, strength and an uncer- 

 tain temper make it a companion 

 to be feared. 



One of the rarities of the col- 

 lection is the White - Necked 

 Crane, {Psendogerantis leucau- 

 chen). This is a medium-sized 

 bird, of a beautiful shade of 

 gray, with the throat and the 

 ])osterior portions of the head 

 and neck white, the gray of the 

 shoulders commencing at a sharp 

 line. The anterior part of the 

 crown is bare and reddish. The 

 long and falcate secondaries, 

 which are very light in color, are 

 curved less abruptlj' and hence 

 more gracefully than in some 

 other species. It is found in east- 

 ern Siberia, Corea and Ja))an 

 and is very .seldom inii)orted 

 alive. In captivity it is quiet 

 and docile, showing a most pleas- 

 ing absence of the pugnacity so 

 Ircquent among its congeners. 



A crane of unusual and hand- 

 ^'llne appearance is the Stanley 

 111- Paradise, (Tetrapteri/x para- 

 clisea). It is a bird of fair size, 

 ranging throughout the south- 

 ern portions of Africa, where 

 it is fairly common. In color it is a uni- 

 form slate, becoming practically white on the 

 head, the feathers of which are so lengthened as 

 to give it a strangelj^ swolleu effect. The 

 drooping secondaries reach the height of their 

 development and beauty in this species. The 

 Paradise is a very desirable bird for the avicul- 

 turist, for both its docility and beauty ; it is im- 

 ported very infrequently. 



In captivity, the crane most frequently seen is 

 the dainty Demoiselle, {/Lnthropoides tnrgo). It 

 is the smallest of the family, as well as the most 

 widely distributed, since it breeds in southern 

 Europe and central Asia and spends tlie winters 

 in southern Asia and northern Africa. Its gen- 

 eral color is the conventional gray, set off by the 

 elongated black feathers of the breast, those 

 over the eyes being drawn out into lateral tufts 

 of silky white. The demoiselle is brought to the 

 United States each year in scores, for the de- 

 mand for it is great. Its small size reduces its 

 capacity for mischief, even if its usually even 



