20 Monograph of the Cranes. 



too palely coloured, making tlie bird look too much like the preceding 

 species. lu all other respects the two bear a uear resemblance to each 

 other, excepting that the present one is notably rather smaller. 



It is an inhabitant chiefly of Western Africa, north of the equator. 

 Dr. Bree remarks : 



It is with much hesitation that I have admitted this bird into the European list, and 

 I only do so as a doubtful species. It is true we have many accounts of its having been 

 taken at Malta and the Balearic Islands (Majorca and Minorca), from which indeed the 

 generic name Balearica was given to it by Brisson, who stated that iu his day (1760) it 

 was common in those islands. Swainson, a most accurate writer, says in his " Classifi- 

 cation of Birds " (vol. ii., p. 172), that specimens were brought to him in Malta " from the 

 little island of Lampidosa, where they are by no means scarce." Degland admitted it 

 into the European list, and gave Sicily as an additional locality ; while Bonaparte, in his 

 " Conspectus of European Birds," introduced it as the representative of the genus 

 Balearica, being found in the islands of the Mediterranean. In a private letter, Canon 

 Tristram informs me that of his own knowledge one specimen had been killed in the 

 island of Pantellaria, between Tunis and Sicily, and belonging to the latter. On the other 

 band, we find Keyserling and Blasius and Schlegel refuse to admit it into the European 

 list ; and M. de Selys-Longoharaps, in a private letter to me, expresses a doubt of its 

 Eui'opean title. I think, however, the proof of its occasionally wandering from its 

 African home into European territory preponderates, and I therefore introduce it into my 

 book. 



[Since the publication of Dr. Bree's vyork a specimen was shot at Dairy, 

 Ayrshire, September 17th, 1871 (R. Gray, Ihis, 1872, p. 201). This bird is 

 preserved in the collection of Mr. Christy Horsfall. It is stated that, 

 " the greatest care was taken to ascertain that the bird was not an escaped 

 specimen."] 



In his " List of the Birds observed in the Islands of Malta and Gozo " 

 {Ibis, 1864, p. 142), Mr. C. A. Wright remarks, " The Balearic crane is 

 mentioned by authors as having been met with at Malta, but I have not been 

 able to confirm this." [Nor does Dresser recognise its claim to be admitted 

 into his " Birds of Europe."] 



[Mr. Howard Saunders, in a " List of the Birds of Southern Spain," 

 {Ibis, 1871, p. 390), remarks : 



I am not aware of the existence of a single authentic specimen of Balearica 

 pavonina either on the mainland or in the Balearic Islands. Indeed, the only notice of 

 its ever having occurred in the latter ia contained in the list of my friend Don 

 Francisco Barceld y Combis, who, however, assured me personally that no specimen 

 had been obtained within his recollection. The evidence upon which this species has 

 been named " balearica" is as follows : Don Buenaventura Serra, who died in 1784, states, 

 in his work on the Natural History of the Balearic Isles, that he has heard it said that in 

 1780 a specimen was obtained at Santa Ponsa, which passed into the hands of Don 

 Cristobal Villela. 



If found at all in Eastern or in Northern Africa (which must 

 necessarily be the case if a wild individual has strayed to the isle of 

 Pantellaria), it can only be as an exceedingly rare straggler, for I can 



