GRUS CARUNCULATA. 627 
Mr. Rickard writes to us from Hast London :—“ TI believe I had 
the pleasure of seeing one of these birds through my glass on 30th 
May. The neck was white—carried straight out—and all the other 
parts seemed to be black: the legs were extended behind. It came 
from over the Buffalo and went away to the south-west. It is 
called the Bell Crane here in allusion to the Wattles.” In Natal, 
writes Mr. Ayres :—“ The Caffre Cranes are plentiful inland, but are 
seldom, if ever, seen on the coast. They may be found on the open 
plains, sometimes singly, at other times twenty or thirty in a flight. 
They appear to feed on grain and insects, preferring the former 
when attainable. They fly with neck and legs outstretched, the beat 
of their wings being very quick, considering the size of the bird; 
and during their flight, if in sufficient numbers, they form the usual 
letter V, like swans and geese. My friend, Mr. G. A. Phillips, found 
a nest of this Crane containing two eggs, which were on the point 
of hatching, in a very large lagoon near the Vaal River. The nest 
was about five feet in diameter, and of a conical form; it was com- 
posed of rushes pulled up by the birds, and was placed in water 
about five feet deep, the egos being well out of the water.” 
In the Newcastle district Majors Butler and Feilden and Capt. Savile 
Reid say that “‘ this Crane is not so numerous as the Stanley Crane 
or the Crowned Crane, but is seen occasionally, in pairs.” Mr. Ayres 
likewise records the species as having been seen, but not procured, 
in the Mashoona country in September and October. Mr. Andersson 
says that this Crane is found very sparingly in Damara Land 
during the rainy season. He has also observed it on the rivers 
Okavango, Teoughe and Dzouga, as well as at Lake N’gami. In 
Angola, where it is called Panda by the natives, Mr. Monteiro 
relates that it is common in the interior of Benguela, and Senor 
Anchieta has procured it near Humbe on the Cunene River. 
General colour above, grey-slate, darkest on the back, at the end 
of the wings, and top of the head; neck pure white; the rest of the 
plumage black. In the male, the fore-half of the head is bare, 
wrinkled, and of ared colour; in the female this is much reduced in 
size, and the dark mark on the top of the head is indicated by a few 
dark spots only ; below the chin depend two flaps of skin, covered 
with short dense feathers ; legs black; bill red; iridesred. Length, 
4’ 7”; wing to the end of drooping feather, 3’; tail, 13’. 
Fig. Gray and Mitch. Gen. B. ii. pl. 149. 
b 
nm 
bo 
