A PET CRANE. I 23 



might have compared them to angels, but their harsh, 

 querulous voices soon dispelled such a figurative 

 illusion. The mdhem, or crowned crane (Ardea 

 pavonia), the Stanley crane (Crus paradisea), the 

 white stork (Ciconia alba), and African marabou 

 stork (Ciconia argald) were most abundantly repre- 

 sented. The two first-mentioned are beautiful birds, 

 but I award the palm in grace, beauty of colour, and 

 tout ensemble, to the mahem (colonial and Boer name), 

 which is easily tamed and makes a most interesting 

 pet. When it has thus been domesticated, it can be 

 suffered to go at large. During the day it will avail 

 itself of this liberty, and take long flights into the 

 veldt, mixing freely with its wild brethren, but always 

 returning to its owner's domicile at sunset. It ever 

 appears to me to have a great partiality for children, 

 with whom it can safely be trusted. The marabou 

 is not an attractive bird, but it gives good service to 

 the human family as a scavenger about farms and 

 kraals. All of the storks and cranes, with the ex- 

 ception of the last, are piquant food, a steak from 

 their breast being particularly juicy and of excellent 

 flavour. All who have travelled extensively in the 

 Western States of America know with what justice 

 a sand-hill crane steak is deemed a bonne bouche ; but, 

 in spite of this reason, I consider it a great pity to 

 shoot them, except in cases of great emergency. The 

 darter (Plotus) has always been regarded by me as 

 a mysterious bird, uncanny and perplexing ; the 



