OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 95 



Family GRUID.E. Genus GBUS. 



DEMOISELLE CRANE. 



GEUS VIRGO (Linnceus). 



Ardea virgo, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 234 (1766). 



Urus virgo (Linn.), Dresser, B. Eur. vii. p. 353, pi. 506 (1879) ; Yarrell, Brit. B. ed. 4 



iii. p. 192 (1883) ; Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. ii. p. 275 (1884) ; Lilford, Col. Pig. 



Brit. B. pt. xii. (1890) ; Dixon, Nests and Eggs Non-indig. Brit. B. p. 214 (1893) ; 



Seebohm, Col. Fig. Eggs Brit. B. p. 156, pi. 46 (1896). 

 Anthropoides virgo (Linn.), Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxiii. p. 269 (1894) ; Sharpe, 



Handb. B. Gt. Brit. iii. p. 114 (1896). 



Geographical distribution British: The Demoiselle Crane is a 

 very rare visitor on migration to the British Islands. Its claim to this distinction 

 rests on one solitary recorded occurrence. On the 14th of May, 1863, a pair were 

 observed, one of which, a male, was shot at Deerness, East Mainland, Orkney. 

 Foreign: Palasarctic region, summer; parts of the Oriental and Ethiopian regions, 

 winter. The only known European breeding places are in Southern Spain, on the 

 western shores of the Black Sea, and the steppes of South Eussia between lat 50 

 and the Caucasus. In Asia it breeds in Turkestan and South-west Siberia as far 

 north as lat. 53, in Dauria, the Baikal country, Eastern Mongolia, and the north- 

 west of China. Its winter quarters are on the plains of India ; it also passes up 

 the Nile valley to winter in Sennar, south to lat. 12. During its migrations it 

 has accidentally wandered into Scandinavia, Germany (including Heligoland), 

 Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor. 



Allied forms. None of sufficient propinquity to call for notice. 



Habits. The Demoiselle Crane is just as regular in its migrations to and 

 from its breeding grounds as the preceding species. Like that bird it journeys in 

 large flocks which usually assume an angular formation like the letter V or W. 

 They fly at enormous altitudes, sometimes beyond the range of human vision. 

 In Europe the Demoiselle Crane arrives at its breeding grounds during March 

 and April, whilst further east, where the season is later, it appears at about the 

 same time. It leaves its summer quarters during September and October. Its 

 flight is very similar to that of the Common Crane, rapid, but performed with 

 slow and regular beats of the mighty wings, and the neck and legs are out- 

 stretched. The note of this species is a harsh kurr-kurr-fairr, and is not at all 



