GRUS VIRGO. 181 
Mr. Stark and ^myself had the pleasure of seeing them on 
jjassage ; and a grand and extraordinary sight it was, as flock 
after flock passed over at a height of about two hundjed 
yards — some in single line, some in a V-shape, others in a 
Y-formation, all from time to time trumpeting loudly. We 
watched them for about an hour as they passed, during which 
time we calculated that at least four thousand must have 
flown by. This was early in the morning. We were obliged 
to continue our journey ; and when we lost sight of the vega 
of Casa Vieja, over which the Cranes were passing in a due 
northerly direction, there appeared to be no diminution in 
their number, and, as my friend remarked, '' One would not 
have believed there were so many Cranes in all Europe.'' 
These birds must have crossed the Straits from Africa that 
morning, the place over which we saw them passing being 
not twenty miles in a direct line from Tarifa, and a line 
drawn in the direction from which the birds came would have 
fallen a little to the west of that town. 
Cranes are easily shot in the evening by waiting for them 
in the swamps where they resort to pass the night. They 
" flight " earlier than Ducks ; and although in the daytime 
no bird is so wide awake, they are quite stupid in the dusk, 
flying, if you keep perfectly still, within a few yards. It is, 
however, a barbarous shame to shoot such a fine and noble 
bird. Although the Spaniards gladly take them to eat, to 
my mind their flesh is coarse and worthless ; but in India, 
where they feed much on grain and on rice- stubbles, they 
are, on the contrary, much sought after for the table. One 
or two which I shot in the evening at Casa Vieja had been 
eating beetles and insects, which in winter seems their chief 
food. They also do a great deal of damage to beans when 
ripening^ and to newly sown grain of all descriptions. 
253. GrRUs VIRGO, Pall. The Demoiselle or Numidian Crane 
The only note which Favier has relative to this handsome 
Crane is that " it is scarce and seldom obtained near Tan- 
gier, passing northwards without making any stay, during 
March, April, and INIay.'' 
