5o8 CRANE. 



mating the value of early records respecting its supposed abun- 

 dance, it must be remembered that the Heron was — and still is — 

 frequently known as the ' Crane.' 



On the spring-passage this species sometimes visits the Faeroes, 

 and wanders as far north as the Varanger-fjord in Norway, while it 

 breeds in the morasses in the south of that country, as well as in 

 Sweden, Lapland, Finland, Russia (down to the Black Sea), Poland 

 (especially on the Vistula), Northern Germany, Austro-Hungary, the 

 Danubian Provinces, Turkey, Italy (Venetia), and Spain (Andalucia). 

 Its loud trumpet-like note may be heard over the greater part of 

 Europe from the beginning of March onward, announcing its re- 

 turn from the southern districts, as well as from Africa, in which its 

 winter range^ extends to Abyssinia. Eastward we trace it across 

 Siberia to Kamschatka in summer, and to Japan, China, Northern 

 India &c. during the cold season ; while on migration Prjevalski, 

 when at an elevation of 16,000 feet, observed flock after flock cross- 

 ing the lofty ranges of Central Asia at such an enormous altitude 

 above him that the birds themselves were scarcely visible ! 



The nest is placed on slightly raised ground in a marsh, and the 

 eggs, usually 2, though occasionally 3 in number, are of an olive- 

 grey colour, blotched with reddish-brown : average measurements 

 3 '8 by 2 '6 in. They are laid towards the end of April in Spain, 

 but in Lapland Wolley did not find them till a month later. The 

 food consists of grass, grain, pulse, acorns, the tubers of the sweet 

 potato, water-melons &c, with beetles and other insects in winter ; 

 while in captivity I have seen a Crane capture and swallow a Sparrow. 



The adult has a red warty patch on the crown ; general plumage 

 slate-grey ; inner secondaries long, drooping, and bluish-black in 

 colour. Length 48 in. ; wing 21 in. The male is larger and rather 

 darker than the female. The young have no red on the head; the 

 upper plumage is greyish-brown, and the hind plumes are short. 

 Breeding does not take place till the third year. 



A male example of the Demoiselle Crane, Grits virgo, is said to 

 have been shot at Deerness, East Mainland, Orkney, on May 14th, 

 1S63, a companion bird being pursued, but not obtained (Zool. 

 p. 8692). This inhabitant of Africa, Asia, and the south of Europe, 

 has wandered as far north as Sweden and Heligoland; it is also 

 frequently kept in confinement. An African Crowned Crane, 

 Balearica pavonina, was killed near Dairy, Ayrshire, on Sunday, 

 September 17th, 187 1. 



