GRUID^. 179 
on the Goto de Donana on the 3rd of May, 1872 (Ibis, 1873, 
p. 98) . This American species is of the same size as the N. 
phceopus, but can be distinguished by its rufous axillaries. 
251. NuMENius TENuiROSTRis, Vicill. The Slender-billed 
Curlew. 
This small Curlew occurs in spring and autumn about the 
Straits, and is only to be distinguished from the Whimbrel 
upon close examination, the difference being that the present 
species has the under wing-coverts and axillary plumes white, 
the top of the head hght-coloured, and the sides of the breast 
marked with conspicuous pear-shaped spots. 
Family Gruid^. 
252. Grus communis, Bechst. The Common Crane. 
Moorish. Gharnook {Favier). Spanish. Grulla. 
" This Crane, common in flocks, is found in Morocco only 
during the winter season, arriving in October and November; 
they leave for the north in February.^' — Favier. 
On the Moorish side of the Straits the common Crane does 
not appear to remain to nest, as I looked in vain for it in the 
marshes there during the month of April. 
On the Spanish side some thirty to forty pairs breed in the 
district (comprising many thousand acres) which extends from 
Tapatanilla along the Laguna de la Janda to Vejer, and 
thence eastward to Casa Vieja. These birds commence to 
lay about the last week in Aprib constructing their nests 
somewhat like that of the Swan, of sedges, grass, and rushes. 
The nests vary much in size, some being quite five feet across, 
othei's perhaps not much more than eighteen inches : some 
are deep, and stand high up ; others are almost level with the 
water, in which they are always built. The nest is always 
placed among sedges or rushes sufficientlj'- short for the bird, 
when standing up, to be able to see around, and is never 
built in tall reeds. They are very easy to find, as the old 
birds never fly direct to the nest, but alight some twenty or 
thirty yards away and, Avalking up to it, form regular tracks 
N 2 
