570 BRITISH BIRDS. 
GRUS CINEREA. 
COMMON CRANE. 
(PiatE 36.) 
Ciconia grus, Briss, Orn. v. p. 374, pl. xxiii. (1760). 
Ardea grus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 234 (1766). 
Grus communis, Bechst. Naturg. Deutsch. iii. p. 60 (1793). 
Grus cinerea, Bechst. Naturg. Deutschl. iv. p. 105 (1809); et auctorum pluri- 
morum—Temminck, Naumann, Bonaparte, Degland § Gerbe, Tristram, Wolley, 
Salvadori, &e. 
Grus canorus, Forst. Syn. Cat. Br. B. p. 58 (1817). 
Grus vulgaris, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso- Asiat. ii. p. 106 (1826). 
Grus cinerea longirostris, Temm. § Schl. Faun. Japon. p. 117 (1847). 
Grus cineracea, Brehm, Naumannia, v.p. 289 (1855). 
Grus communis, var. orientalis, Blyth, Nat. Hist. Cranes, p. 59 (1881). 
Flocks of Common Cranes appear to have migrated to the British Islands 
to breed in the fens and marshes up to the close of the 16th century, 
and, if the ancient records are to be believed, remained to winter in con- 
siderable numbers. A century later Willughby and Ray were unable to 
ascertain whether they still continued to breed in this country. At the 
present time this bird can only be regarded as an accidental straggler 
on migration to our islands, principally to the southern and eastern 
counties. The spring of 1869 was remarkable for the numerous occur- 
rences of this handsome bird in this country (Gurney, ‘ Zoologist,’ 1869, 
p. 1841). It frequently passes the Orkneys and Shetlands on migration, and 
is occasionally seen on the mainland of Scotland. In Ireland Cranes are 
very rarely seen, but three were shot out of a party of four in November 1851, 
near Kinsale, in co. Cork; and Mr. Lloyd Patterson informs me that a fine 
~ male was shot near Killyleagh, co. Down, on the 10th of May, 1882. Two 
Cranes were seen near Lough Mask, co. Mayo, on the Ist of January, 1884, 
one of which was shot (Ussher, ‘ Zoologist,’ 1884, p. 72). They are recorded 
to have been extremely numerous, no doubt breeding on the extensive bogs 
in this country, in the 12th and 14th centuries. 
The Crane breeds in suitable localities throughout Europe and North 
Asia, wintering in North Africa and South Asia. It occasionally passes 
the Faroe Islands on migration. In Scandinavia and in Russia it isa local 
summer visitor up to lat. 68°. In West Siberia it has not been found 
breeding north of the Arctic circle ; in the valley of the Yenesay I did not 
observe it north of lat. 60°; Middendorff does not appear to have found 
it in East Siberia; but Pallas records it from Kamtschatka ; and it is a 
summer visitor to the neighbourhood of Lake Baikal and the valley of the 
