Sub-Order—GRUEKS. 
Family—GRUIDAE. 
CRANE. Grus communis (Bechstein). 
Coloured Figures.—Gould, ‘ Birds of Great Britain,’ vol. iv, pl. 
19; Dresser, ‘ Birds of Europe,’ vol. vii, p. 505; Lilford, 
‘Coloured Figures,’ vol. iv, pl. 64. 
In days gone by the Crane! was a fairly common species 
in parts of the British Isles. At the present time it is a 
scarce and an irregular visitor to England. Among recent 
records of its occurrence may be mentioned :—One from 
Flamborough, February, 1892; and one near Lowestoft, 
June, 1893 (Harting, ‘ Handbook Brit. Birds,’ 1901, p. 157). 
In Scotland this species is very rare. 
In Ireland there have been only nine or ten occurrences 
within the last hundred years. Of these the most recent 
records are :—An adult male shot near Thurles, co. Tipperary, 
about September 3rd, 1896 (W. Johnston, ‘ Irish Naturalist,’ 
1898, p. 51), and another male shot on Inch Slobs, Lough 
Swilly, co. Donegal, on June 28rd, 1896 (D. C. Campbell, 
‘Trish Naturalist,’ 1896, p. 214). 
The remaining counties from which birds have been 
recorded are :—Kerry, Cork, Galway, Mayo, Down. In 
Kerry and Cork several Cranes were met with in October 
and November, 1851 (Proc. Dub. Nat. Hist. Soc., December, 
1851). 
With reference to the Crane as a British bird in the 
past, Mr. Harting states that ‘‘In the time of King John 
1 The term ‘Crane’ is still used, especially among country-folk, to 
denote the Common Heron. Many of the older writers, when speaking 
of the abundance of the Crane in Britain, may have meant the Common 
Heron. 
