118 GRUID^. 



Hab. — Europe, Siberia, India, Ceylon, Afghanistan, Beloochistan, Persian 

 Gulf, Sind, the Eastern and Western Coasts of India ; in fact has a very wide 

 distribution. Inhabitant of the sea shores, being seldom found inland. It 

 lives chiefly on molluscs, worms, &c., and is said to easily disengage limpets 

 from the rocks, and to pluck out the oysters from their half-opened shells, with 

 its admirably adapted wedge-shaped bill. Oyster-Catchers feed in the morn- 

 higs and evenings, and also at night, and are at all times watchful and shy in 

 their habits. 



Family, GRUID^. 



Bill long; mandibles equal; nostrils in a deep groove ; wings long ; tertials 

 long ; tail short, even ; tarsi long, scutellated. 



146. GruS aatigone, Z/««., Syst, Nat. p. 235 ; Jerd., B. Ind. ii. 

 p. 662; Hume^ Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 584; Blyth, B. Biirm. p. 157; 

 Oates, Str. F. v. p. 164; Htane and Dav , Str. F. vi. p. 458; Murray, Vert. 

 ZooL, Sind, p. 235 ; Hnme and Marsh., Game Birds ii. p. i, pi. ; Oates, B. 

 Br. Burm. ii, p. 354; Murray, Avif. Brit. Ind. ii. p. 600, No. 1277. — The 

 Sarus Crane. 



Head and neck naked, covered behind with numerous crimson papillae, 

 and clad with a few black hairs, which accumulate below on the neck, and 

 form a sort of mane down the nape of the neck ; ear coverts white ; below 

 this the neck is whitish grey, which gradually passes into a blue or French 

 grey, which is the colour of the whole plumage, the quills and inner webs of 

 the tail feathers being dusky slaty ; seasonally it assumes a pure white collar 

 immediately below the crimson papillose skin of the neck, and some of the 

 tertiaries and scapulars become white, lengthened, hang over gracefully and 

 exceed the tail in length ; bill pale sea green, brownish at the tip ; irides 

 orange red ; legs and feet pale rosy red. 



Length. — 52 inches; wing 26; tail 9'25 ; bill at front 6'25, tarsi 12*5 to 

 13. [yerdon.) 



I have not a satisfactory specimen. 



Hab. — Throughout the greater part of India. It is rare in Sind. In the 

 Punjab it is found in the Delhi and other districts, also in the N.-W. 

 Provinces, Rajputana, Kutch, Concan and Deccan. It has also been found 

 occasionally in Khandesh. Throughout the Central Provinces, also the Madras 

 Presidency, north of the Godavery, Chota Nagpur and Lower Bengal it is 

 common in suitable localities. Breeds over the whole of the N.-W. Provinces, 

 Upper Bengal, British Burmah, Assam, Oudhand Guzerat ; also Central India 

 and Khandeish, during August and September, laying 2 eggs, of a pale green 

 colour, speckled with yellowish brown purple or purplish pink. Many are 

 quite unspotted. 



147. Grus leucogeranus, Pall, It. t. i; B.C. 467; Jerd., B. 



Ind. iii. p. 663 ; Str. ^. i. p. 235 ; vii. p. 437 ; Murray, Hdbk., ZooL, Sfc, 

 Sind,p.2l'^; id.. Vert, Zool. Sind, p. 21,6 ; Hu7ne and Marsh., Game. Birds 



