352 



JJERONS. 



great part of its nourishment. Its nest is generally placed among 

 the thick reeds, osiers, and luxuriant herbage of the marsh, but 

 occasionally on the top of some ruined building. The female 

 lays only two eggs. 



The type of this sub-family — 



The Common Crane {Grus cinerea), is common in many parts of the 

 eastern continent, passing the summer in temperate climates, and returning 



Fig. 177.— The Common Crane (^Crus ci>u:rea). 



southwards on the approach of winter. The periodical migrations of these 

 birds are remarkable for their punctuahty, it having been observed that during 

 a long scries of years they have invariably traversed France in the month of 

 October, returning during the latter half of the month of March. On these 

 occasions they always fly in large flocks. 



They move with rapidity, and alight during the day to rest and feed. At 

 other seasons these birds cease to be gregarious, and repair to swamps and 

 morasses, where in spring each pair builds a rude nest of reeds and rushes 

 on a bank or stump of a tree, in which the female lays two eggs. Cranes may 

 be considered omnivorous, as they live indiscriminately upon animal or vege- 



