30 
to the water’s edge. Being secured to the pendent 
reeds, woven and matted together, it floats securely 
with the ebbing and flowing of the water. The 
female lays eight or nine eggs of a reddish white 
hue, speckled with dark reddish brown. The 
young, which are covered with black down when 
first hatched, almost immediately take to the water 
and shift for themselves. 
CRANES COMMON 
GRus CINEREA, Zemm. 
This large species of wader, measuring about 
five feet in length, was frequently found some 
years since by the sides of the lakes and fens of 
this country, in which it is now extremely rare. 
It is widely spread however, and in its migrations 
performs the most distant journeys. During sum- 
mer it is found scattered over the north of 
Europe and Asia, and in winter is met with in the 
warmer regions of India, Syria, Egypt, &c. Its 
food is variable, consisting occasionally of grain 
and aquatic plants, at other times, worms, reptiles, 
&e. It breeds in Norway, Sweden, &c., usually 
placing its nest among reeds, &c., in the fens, 
though it is also occasionally found on some secluded 
ruins, &c. The female lays two greyish green 
eggs, spotted and blotched with brown. 
