Bustards and Cranes 



42? 



Photo l/y Scholastic Photo. Co.] [Parson's Green. 



SEEIEMA. 



A South American bird, at one time supposed to be related to the 

 birds of prey. 



204 cranes figured in the menu. Later, it is 

 interesting to note, they seem to have fallen 

 somewhat into disfavour, since we read of a 

 Dr. Muffet, of Wiltshire, somewhere about 1570, 

 declaring cranes to be " distinctly unfit for sound 

 men's , tables. . . . Yet being young, killed 

 with a goshawk, and hanged two or three days 

 by the heels, eaten with hot gelentine, and 

 drowned in sack, it is permitted unto indifferent 

 stomachs." 



The nest is placed on the ground, and 

 contains from two to three eggs. The young 

 are covered with down, and, like plovers and 

 bustards, run as soon as hatched. 



The cranes, like many other birds, notably 

 some of the Plover Tribe, occasionally indulge 

 in spirited outbursts of dancing. Mr. Nelson, 

 writing of the birds of Alaska, tells how one 

 day he was watching two cranes enjoying 

 themselves in this manner. The male suddenly 

 " wheeled his back towards the female and 

 made a low bow, his head nearly touching the 

 ground, and ending by a quick leap into the air. Another pirouette brought him facing his 

 charmer, whom he greeted with a still deeper bow, his wings meanwhile hanging loosely 

 by his side. She replied by an answering bow and hop, and then each tried to outdo the 

 other in a series of spasmodic hops and starts, mixed with a set of comically grave and 

 ceremonious bows." 



Cranes vary much in general appearance. Some species have much of the skin round the 

 head bare and brilliantly coloured, such as the SARUS CRANE of India and the CROWNED CRANE. 



The WHITE and WHOOPING CRANES are birds of wondrous beauty. The first-named species 

 has been not inaptly called the "lily of birds." The whole plumage, with the exception of 

 the black quills, is white. The 

 legs are red, as is also the 

 face. Dr. Coues, an American 

 ornithologist of great repute, 

 relates how he once mistook 

 one of these birds the 

 WHOOPING-CRANE for an 

 antelope. He and a com- 

 panion saw what they " took 

 to be an antelope standing 

 quietly feeding, with his broad 

 white stern toward us, and 

 only about 500 yards off. We 

 attempted for at least fifteen 

 minutes to ' flag ' the creature 

 up to us, waving a handker- 

 chief on a ramrod. . . . This 

 proving unavailing, my friend 

 proceeded to stalk the game, 

 and crawled on his belly for 

 about half the distance before 



Photo by L. Medland, F.Z.S.~] 



WHITE-BACKED TRUMPETERS. 



The trumpeters are very aberrant members of the Crane Tribe. 



North Finchley. 



