THE CRANE 



Grus communis 



The whole of the body a delicate lilac grey, flight feathers 

 dark. Secondary wing-feathers very long, covering with a 

 plume-like mass the wings and tail. Sides of face white, as 

 are the sides of neck, which is black in front ; top of head 

 black, the centre of the crown bare of feathers and of a 

 brilliant red ; beak greenish-yellow ; eyes red-brown. Total 

 length, 46 inches. 



Cranes will only be seen flying in flocks high in 

 air, or else resting after a day's flight on some 

 sandbank by the river-side. As soon as they have 

 rested, fed, and refreshed themselves, they are up 

 and away again, and, as far as I know, they do not 

 now remain anywhere in Egypt a day longer than 

 is necessary. They are as rapid in their visits as 

 the most scampering of tourists, who only allot so 

 many days for a whole continent. But owing to 

 the enormous numbers that there are of these 

 birds, some of the migrating armies of them may 

 be seen either in the autumn when they are all 

 going due south, or on the break-up of the winter 

 when they are all going due north. It seems 

 strange that they should get so far north as 



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