426 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



To see the great bustard in a wild state to-day, one 

 would have to travel to Spain. And if one could make 

 a pilgrimage for this purpose during the birds' courting- 

 season, some very wonderful antics on the part of the 

 male would be witnessed. These antics make up what 

 is really a very elaborate love-display. In this perform- 

 ance the bird inflates his neck with wind, draws his 

 head closely down on to the back, throws up his tail, 

 so as to make the most of the pure white feathers 

 underneath, and sticks up certain of the quill-feathers 

 of the wing in a manner that only a great bustard can. 

 Certain long feathers projecting from each side of the 

 head now stand out like the quills of the porcupine, 

 forming a sort of cheval-de-frise on either side of the 

 head, and complete the picture, which, in our eyes, 

 savours of the ludicrous. The inflation of the neck is 

 brought about by filling a specially developed wind-bag 



Phots by Scholaitu Photo, Co., Parjon'j G'n 



MANCHURIAN CRANE 



The filial 'd plumage of this species is dis'irc.-ife 



between the gullet and the skin 

 with air through a small hole 

 under the tongue. Formanyyears 

 it was believed this bag was used 

 as a sort of water-bottle, to enable 

 the bird to live amid the arid 

 wastes which were its chosen 

 haunts. We now know what its 



Photo by Scholasti 



COMMON CRANE 



The note of the crane is sonorous and trumpet-like 







fhoto b, SthoUiti; Photo. Co , tarioni Grttn 



WATTLED CRANE 



j&> called from the pendent lappets of the throat. It 

 is a South African species 



real use is. Visitors to the Natural History Museum 

 in London will find, beautifully mounted, a male bustard 

 " in the act of showing off," as it is called, and hard by a 

 dissection of the head and neck, showing this wonderful 

 wind-bag. 



CRANES 



One of the most beautiful of this group of 

 peculiarly handsome birds was once numbered among 

 British birds ; now, alas ! like the bustard, it is one of 

 the rarest visitors. Till the end of the sixteenth century 

 the COMMON CRANE reared its young in the fen-lands. 

 In Saxon times we read of a request being made by 

 King Ethelbert to Boniface, Bishop of Mayence, begging 

 him to send over two falcons suitable for flying at the 

 cranes in Kent. In one case, at a feast given by Arch- 

 bishop Neville in the reign of Edward IV., as many as 



