96 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



trumpet-like. The Demoiselle Crane is a dweller in sandy districts, steppe 

 country, and on vast plains, but it does not appear to frequent swamps during 

 the breeding season. It is always wary and watchful, seldom allowing any one to 

 approach it closely unless by stratagem or under cover of some kind. It walks 

 about the plains and round the edge of the pools in a very graceful manner, and 

 often wades into the water and stands motionless with head to wind. The food 

 of this species is composed principally of vegetable substances, grain and seeds, 

 buds and shoots of herbage, insects, worms, lizards, and snakes, but not apparently 

 any fish. In some parts of India its favourite food appears to be the safHower oil 

 seed (Garthamus tinctorius). Whilst in its winter quarters in this country it is 

 described as "by far the most suspicious and un-get-overable bird in existence." 

 Their chief feeding time is in the morning and evening, and when satiated with 

 food they repair to some large sandbank in a river, or the shallow margin of tanks 

 and pools, where, in a dense flock, they rest and preen their plumage. They 

 drink regularly, and usually sleep on a bare open plain ranged in a long single 

 line, over which ever-watchful sentinels keep jealous guard. The flocks of this 

 bird vary considerably in size, almost from day to day. Thus at the roosting 

 places the numbers are often large, but at daybreak they separate into smaller 

 parties to feed. Hume states that the flocks of Demoiselle Cranes are constantly 

 splitting up into smaller ones and reuniting, and that they are somewhat 

 capricious in the choice of a haunt, and rarely remain in a district for many 

 weeks together. When wounded, this Crane will seek to escape by trying to 

 swim, and when brought to bay will fight fiercely, although with nothing near 

 the power of the Common Crane. They are very noisy birds, and the confused 

 uproar that begins when an enormous flock of several thousands of birds has been 

 surprised and fired at, is indescribable ; the din of throbbing wings and screaming 

 birds being so loud that it may be heard a couple of miles away ! In some parts 

 of Southern India this Crane is held sacred by the Brahmins, and small patches 

 of grain are left in the fields for it to feed upon after its arrival in autumn. 

 This bird is said by Taczanowski to be found near Biskra in the Northern Sahara, 

 but I failed to find it there. 



Nidification. Although so gregarious during the cold season, at the 

 approach of spring the large flocks begin to disperse at the breeding grounds into 

 pairs. The gregarious instincts, however, do not appear to be entirely suspended, 

 for all the summer through it shows social tendencies, and small parties often feed 

 in company. During the pairing season this species indulges in various grotesque 

 antics, which have been described by some observers as " dancing." These 

 dances take place just before nest-building commences, and are thus aptly 

 described by Nordmann. The Demoiselle Cranes "dance and jump towards 

 each other, bowing themselves in a most burlesque manner, bending their necks 

 forward, extending the plumes on the neck, and depressing their wings ; others. 



