264 BIRDS OF EGYPT. 



272. Grus VIRGO, Pall. Demoiselle Crane. 



This Crane ranges throughout Egypt and Nubia, but is 



-■-'•' ■ '-' far less plentiful than the last species and nearly as shy. 



T/ IC(^(< On the 2nd of April I met with a large flock near Beni- 



. 2 2>/ -, souef, when, after in vain trying to stalk them for more 



/ than an hour, I obtained a long shot as they flew over my 



head. I am not aware of having seen them upon any other 



occasion. 



Scapulars elongated and pointed, reaching beyond the tail. 

 The plumage is ashy grey, with the following exceptions : — 

 a tuft of elongated feathers behind the eye white ; sides of 

 the head, throat, front part of the neck, primaries, and tips of 

 the scapulars black ; beak black at the base, yellow at the 

 tip ; legs brownish black ; irides reddish brown. 



Entire length 39 inches; culmen 2'5 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 25 ; tarsus 7. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 271. 



273. Platalea leucorodia, Linn. Spoonbill. 



Very plentiful throughout Egypt and Nubia. It may 

 constantly be been in flocks on the sandbanks of the river 

 and in the great marshy lakes of Lower Egypt and the 

 Fayoom. 



Beak long and flat, much widened at the tip. 



Breeding-plmnarje pure white, excepting a long bufi"- 

 coloured crest, the pouch and a collar round the crop, which 

 are yellow ; beak deep slate-colour, irregularly barred with 

 black and having a yellow patch on its wider part ; legs 

 black; irides crimson. 



Immature birds have the beak smooth and pale brown. 



