442 GRUID.E. 



cavity between the two bony plates forming tlic keel : a por- 

 tion of the plate nearest the observer in both these illustra- 

 tions being represented as cut away to show the character and 

 depth of the insertion. 



The usual form of furcula, or merrythought, it will be 

 observed, does not prevail in this bird : it is not here, as in 

 most other birds, a single, slightly-attached bone, but has the 

 point of union of the two branches firmly ossified to the keel, 

 or may be considered as a prolongation of the anterior por- 

 tion of the keel itself extended to the head of each clavicle, 

 and affording a firm support to the wings. 



In the adult male, the beak is greenish yellow at the base, 

 lighter in colour towards the point ; the irides red ; the fore- 

 head, crown, nape, and back of the neck, dark bluish ash ; 

 chin, throat, and front of the neck, of the same dark colour, 

 but descending four or five inches lower in front ; from the 

 eye, over the ear-coverts, and downwards on the side of the 

 neck, dull white ; general colour of the back, wings, rump, 

 tail-feathers, and all the under surface of the body, ash grey ; 

 wing-primaries black ; the tertials elongated, the webs un- 

 connected, and reaching beyond the ends of the primaries. 

 The well known plumes of the Crane are these tertial fea- 

 thers, with their unconnected webs forming long hair-like 

 filaments, which the bird can elevate or depress at pleasure. 

 They were formerly much worn as ornaments on the head. 

 These and the tail-feathers are varied and tipped with bluish 

 black ; under surface of wings and the axillary plume light 

 grey ; legs and toes bluish black ; claws black. 



The whole length of the bird described four feet. From 

 the carpal joint to the end of the wing, twenty-one inches ; 

 the first quill-feather a little shorter than the fourth, but a 

 little longer than the fifth ; the second and third feathers 

 nearly equal in length, and the longest in the wing. The 



