Orus communis. 63 



open downs inland, where no covert affords means of approach to an enemy. And 

 there they may be seen through a telescope, preening themselves, lazily stretching forth 

 their legs or wings, or sitting dozing on their heels. One or two, however, keep on the 

 alert, their heads raised on high; and these, to judge by their size and flowing plumes, 

 are old males. 



The flesh of this bird, when young, is most delicious. It joins the delicacy of the 

 florikan to the juiciness of the young wild duck ; and to bag one is well worth a few 

 hours' toil and trouble. It requires about a dozen beaters or coolies to effect this. 

 When a party of cranes is descried resting on an open spot, the sportsman makes for a 

 bush, hillock, or ravine, where he can sit invisible to the birds, while the beaters are 

 sent to the right and left to arrange themselves in an open cordon completing the circle 

 round the game ; but at a considei'able distance, of course, from it. This takes a long 

 time, and requires no little patience in the gunner and sagacity in the beaters — a quality 

 they do not generally shine in. When the latter have approached, convei'ging towards 

 the cranes, the birds begin to trumpet, and walk, but not many paces, before lauuchiug 

 into the air. Their flight is usually, as may be conjectured, towards the apparently 

 vacant quarter where the sportsman lies concealed. And no sight can well be more 

 intensely gratifying than that of their waving wings and outstretched necks as they 

 come towards you. When they pass over, throwing their shadows on the ambushed 

 foe, they offer of course a sure and easy mark. The field naturalist should select the 

 leading bird, as the oldest and finest " specimen ; " but he who hath an eye to the pot 

 and an ear for the dinner bell allows the former to pass by, and before these, giving the 

 alarm, can alter the course of the approaching line, the rearmost or young birds are 

 already overhead, and each barrel brings down its victim. There is no chance, of 

 course, of another shot that day. 



I did once, and only once, catch these birds napping. They had selected in the 

 Kalichowk, a stream or branch which joins the Mahanuddee to the G-anges (Malda 

 district), an islet of sand and clay for their diurnal repose, which, from its banks 

 being scarped, allowed a boat to creep along under the shore unseen from the terre 

 pleme of the island. Selecting a spot for landing which was not above a hundred 

 yards from the nearest of the birds, I made them drop my little shooting dinghee down 

 to it, then, jumping ashore, scrambled up the bank, and (further concealment being 

 impossible) at once ran as hard as I could pelt towards the birds (who require a little 

 time to get fairly on the wing). Firing both barrels into the flock as they rose some fifty 

 yards off, I was fortunate enough to wing one, which fell into the river. It swam ivell, and 

 reached the shore opposite, where some fishermen were assembled, who attempted to 

 seize it as it landed ; but the bird made such vigorous use of its beak that it held its 

 assailants at bay till I reached the spot. It was a young male —its tertial plumes not 

 fully developed, and it stomach was found to be crammed with oorid (a kind of vetch). 



The crane breeds in summer, within or close to the Arctic circle. The eggs are two 

 in number, as with the sarrus, 4in. long by 2|in. broad, of a pale greenish olive-brown, 

 blotched and spotted with darker shades of the same. The nests are constructed on the 

 ground in marshy swampy places, and are said to be sometimes placed on the roofs of 

 deserted houses. 



The migrations of the crane appear to extend all over Europe, North Africa, and 

 Asia, though to the extreme N.E. of the former continent it is said to be replaced by 

 another species, Oi-us longirostris, which I have never seen. In Europe it would appear 

 to stay a very short time. Temminck says it visits Holland, but is rare there, and only 

 met with in severe winters. Over the Mediterranean it is annually seen flying during 

 its migrations to and fro, occasionally stopping on some of the islands, but not for 

 long. March, April, and October are the months in which it is observed in the Ionian 

 Islands, Malta, and Gozo. 



A description of the crane would be very incomplete without noticing its extra- 



