628 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
604, ANTHROPOIDES PARADISEA, Licht. Stanley Crane. 
Anthropoides stanleyanus, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 303. 
The “ Stanley” or “ Blue” Crane is not abundant in any locality, 
but seems very generally distributed. We fancy that certain pairs 
frequent the same district for the whole term of their lives, and may 
always be found within a certain radius, as we saw it thus continually 
at Nel’s Poort, and at the Knysna. It is wary, and difficult to 
approach within gunshot ; but may always be got with a rifle. It 
goes in pairs, male and female, the latter being considerably the 
smaller. It becomes very tame when in confinement, and feeds 
readily from the hand, eating bread, fruit, vegetables, &c. Its 
harsh, rattling, guttural ery may be heard at an immense distance. 
In a state of nature it feeds on fish, reptiles, locusts, and small 
mammalia, and is often found permanently inhabiting the Karroo 
country at a great distance from water. 
Mr. Arnot has forwarded eggs from Colesberg, and informs us 
that it breeds in that neighbourhood in some abundance. The eggs 
resemble those of G. carunculata in every particular. Mr Ortlepp 
writes :— Their principal food is small bulbs. When they have the 
chance they pass the night sleeping in the water knee-deep ; in the 
winter months they are frequently found with their legs frozen fast in 
the ice!” It is not uncommon near Port Elizabeth, according to Mr. 
Rickard, who has no doubt of its also occurring near Hast London, 
though he never himself saw the species there. Capt. Trevelyan 
also states that it is not rare near Kingwilliamstown. Majors 
Butler and Feilden and Capt. Savile Reid say that this Crane is 
very common on the “ yeldt” all about Newcastle in pairs and 
small parties. They were informed by “an old sporting Boer 
farmer that these birds scratched a hole and laid their eggs, like a 
Bustard, on the open veldt, and never constructed nests in the 
‘yleys,’ like the other Cranes.” This mode of nesting, it will be 
observed, is different from that given by Mr. Ayres. 
Mr. Barratt observes :—“ The Stanley Crane is generally distri- 
buted throughout the Transvaal and Free State ; and I have met 
with it in great quantities between Bloemfontein and Potchefstroom. 
In the winter I have seen as many as fifty in a flock, besides many 
more in the neighbouring vleys; they are difficult to approach, 
but they can be shot with a rifle. They breed in the reeds, and I 
have received eggs from the district of Potchefstroom. Their long 
