MASON AND LEFROY, 255 



(Swinhoe) they feed chiefly at one time on the sweet potato." In 

 the Punjab these Cranes are very partial to the water-melons, and 

 appear to attack ''the melons chiefly for drinking purposes," 

 though sometimes the seeds are eaten. These water-melons are 

 of no market value. ' I myself believe the common Crane to be 

 by preference mainly a vegetarian ; but at all times a small ad- 

 mixture of animal food may be traced in the stomachs of some 

 birds, and when their favourite food is scarce, they eat water- 

 crickets and other insects, slugs and worms, small shells, both 

 land and water, and I have found the remains of small fish occa- 

 sionally in their gizzards. Of course these latter contain, like 

 those of all such birds, quantities of small pebbles, mostly quartz, 

 some as large as peas, a few at times larger. H. B. G. B. Ill, 

 25 = 27. Cranes that have fed for a time on the grain and shoots 

 of wheat, rice, gram, arhar, and other crops are delicious ; ill-fed 

 birds are coarse. F. I. IV, 187. 



Anthropoides virgo and Grus cinerea ( = communis) occur in flocks 

 in wheat fields when the wheat is ripening. They do much damage 

 to the crops and leave as soon as the wheat fields are bare. Bomb. 

 Gaz., Broach, 360. 



1408. Grus leucogeranus. Great White Crane or Siberian 

 Crane. Rushes and aquatic plants, exclusively a vegetable feeder. 

 " I have never found the slightest traces of irsects or reptiles (so 

 common in those of other species) in any of the 20 odd stomachs 

 of these white Cranes I have myself examined. The stomach 

 contains an enormous amount of pebbles. Other Cranes and 

 notably the common and the Demoiselle daily pay visits in large 

 numbers to our fields, where they commit great havoc, devourirg 

 grain of all descriptions, flowers, shoots, and even some kinds of 

 vegetables. The white Crane, however, seeks no such dainties, 

 but finds its frugal food, rush seeds, bulbs, corms, and even leaves 

 of various aquatic plants, in the cool waters where it spends its 

 whole time. H. M. G. B. Ill, 16." 



1409. Grus antigone. Sarus. Saruses feed upon vegetable 

 substances, insects, earthworms, frogs, lizards and other small 



