Griis carunculatM. 33 



writers, it being always used for the Common Crane by falconers and the 

 best shikdrris. The name hirkarra," he continues, "appears to be nearly 

 the same word as is used by the Mongols of Central Asia according to Pallas, 

 viz., Jcarharror, and is evidently an imitation of its call." 



The various other cranes have more or less of nude skin upon the head 

 (at least when adult), which is mostly crimson and papillose, and to a 

 greater or less extent beset with black setaceous or bristle-like unwebbed 

 shafts. They fall into two distinguishable sub-groups, one of which is 

 exemplified by the well-known Saras Crane of Asia, and the other by the 

 ordinary European Crane. 



The Saras sub-group consists of species of large size, with non-erectile 

 tertiaries, the vanes of which are at most discomposed to a very slight 

 extent. They are peculiar to the major continent with Australia. 



GRUS CARUNCULATA (Gmel.). 



THE WATTLED CRANE. 



Ardea CARUNCULATA, Gmeliu, Syst. Nat., vol. ii., p. 643. (1788.) 

 Grds CARUNCULATA, Vieillot, Bncycl., Meth., p. 1140. (1823.) 

 BuGERANus CARUNCULATUS, Glogcr, Haudbuch Natur., p. 440. (1842.) 

 Ardea palearis, Forster, Descr. Anim., p. 47. (1844.) 

 Grus caruncqlata. Gray and Mitchell, Gen. Birds, vol. iii., p. 552, 



col. plate 148. (1845.) 

 Antigone carunculata, Bonaparte, Consp. Av., vol. ii., p. 100. (1857.) 

 Laomedontia CARUNCULATA, Reichenb. Syst. Avium., p. xxiii. ; 



Wasserhuhner und Rallen, fig. 2691. 



The Caffre Crane of South Africa. 

 This stately species of crane is conspicuously distinguished from all others 

 by having a remarkable pendent lappet of skin on each side of the throat. 

 It is the third and last of the cranes inhabiting Southern Africa. It 

 stands about 5ft. high when erect, and its drooping tertiaries are proportionally 

 longer than in G. virgo. Its general colour above is grey slate, darkest on 

 the back, at the end of the wings, and the top of the head ; neck, pure 

 white; the rest of the plumage black. The smallest of the tertiaries which 

 overlie the drooping plumes are to some extent discomposed. The fore part 



P 



