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DANCES TO PERFECTION. 381 



P. Carlander, " after having spent fifteen years of its life 

 there. It was captured when young, and before it was 

 fledged ; and by degrees became accustomed to eat whatever 

 was to be had in the kitchen, where it soon became a great 

 pet, and grew with extraordinary rapidity. It was a male 

 bird, and for that reason, probably, attached itself principally 

 to females. With men it would not willingly associate, more 

 especially if there were several in company. Towards the 

 lady of the house it soon evinced special affection and regard. 

 If she only appeared in the court-yard, the crane made her 

 presence known by its cries ; and even if she was within 

 doors, it could distinguish, not only her voice, but her 

 sneezing, from that of others. It was always on the alert 

 to share with the poultry their meals. If peas and barley 

 were cast to them, and that they did not of their own accord 

 get out of the way, it would take hold of them, one after 

 the other, by the head, and drag them off to a large water- 

 trough near at hand, where it would souse them in. 



" For dancing it showed great fondness ; but it would not 

 dance with every one. When so inclined, however, it would 

 make high leaps, with distended wings, into the air, and 

 sometimes advancing, and at others retreating, endeavour 

 to imitate all the steps of its partner. Its sight and hearing 

 were wonderfully keen. When the piano-forte was played in 

 the room, it would at first promenade outside of the house, 

 listening the while most attentively ; but after a time, even 

 though there were visitors present, it would march into the 

 apartment, and place itself near to the instrument, so long 

 as the music lasted. It readily distinguished the tunes. 

 When, for example, an adagio was played, it would hold 

 its head down, turn it about slowly, and also appear down- 



