Migration of Cranes. 227 



to be understood loosely for the whole warm 

 season, and the whole cold or stormy season ; and 

 if cranes came on their passage northwards, when 

 warm weather began, they must also have ap- 

 peared, on their return journey, when cold weather 

 was beginning ; so that both crane and stork might 

 equally be styled ' aestatis ad vena,' or ' hiemis 

 ad vena.' Pliny was surely making one of his 

 many blunders when he distinguished the two 

 birds by these two expressions. 



The migration of such great birds as these, 

 unlike those of our tiny visitors to England, could 

 hardly escape the notice even of men who knew 

 nothing of scientific observation. Virgil has given 

 us a momentary glimpse of the Crane's migration 

 in spring ; he is following in the tracks of Homer, 

 but as a Mantuan he must have seen the phe- 

 nomenon himself also. 



Clamorem ad sidera tollunt 

 Dardanidae e muris ; spes addita suscitat iras ; 

 Tela manu jaciunt; quales sub nubibus atris 

 Strymoniae dant signa grues, atque aethera tranant 

 Cum sonitu, fugiuntque Notos clamore secundo. 1 



1 The Dardanians on the walls raise a shout to the sky. 

 Hope comes to kindle wrath ; they hurl their missiles strongly ; 



Q 2 



