163 



THE COMMON CRANE. 



Grus cinereu, BECHSTEIN. 

 PLATE IX. 



Ardea grus, Ray^ Linn., Qc Grus cinerea, BecJistein, 

 and modern ornithologists. Grue cendree, Temm. Com- 

 mon Crane of British authors. 



THE Common Crane would seem formerly to have 

 been much more frequent, than it now is, in our 

 islands, appearing in the old bills for many of the 

 feasts. Crane, however, we do not think can always, 

 in these records, be translated as the Grus cinerea of 

 the ornithologists of the present day. In later days 

 the bird appears only as an occasional visitant ; and 

 not more than seven or eight instances of its occur- 

 rence are mentioned between 1 820, and the present 

 year, 1841 ; some of these have been in Devon- 

 shire, others in Orkney and Shetland. In Ireland 

 it has not been seen for a hundred years. In the 

 north of Europe it is seen, at similar interrupted 

 intervals ; and, in Central Europe, they are observed 

 during their migrations. " Egypt, and various parts 

 of Africa, are said to be their winter quarters ;" * 

 but of their stronghold, or of their breeding stations, 

 little, indeed, seems yet known to ornithoJngists. 

 * Yarrell. 



