168 A HISTORY OF 



the true ibis is a bird of the vulture kind, described above, and called 

 by some the capon of Pharaoh, which not only is a devourer of ser- 

 pents, but will follow the caravans that go to Mecca, to feed upon tht 

 offal of the animals that are killed on the journey. 



CHAPTER IV. 



OF THE BALEARIC AND OTHER FOREIGN CRANES. 



HAVING ended the last chapter with doubts concerning the ibis, 

 we shall begin this with doubts concerning the Balearic Crane. 

 Pliny has described a bird of the crane kind with a topping resembling 

 that of the green wood-pecker. This bird for a long time continued 

 unknown, till we became acquainted with birds of tropical climates, 

 when one of the crane kind with a topping was brought into Europe, 

 and described by Aldrovandus as Pliny's Balearic Crane. Hence 

 these birds, which have since been brought from Africa and the East 

 in numbers, have received the name of Balearic Cranes, but without 

 any just foundation. The real Balearic Crane of Pliny seems to be 

 the lesser ash-coloured heron, with a topping of narrow white feathers, 

 or perhaps the egret, with two long feathers that fall back from the 

 sides of the head. The bird that we are about to describe under the 

 name of the Balearic Crane was unknown to the ancients, and the he- 

 ron or egret ought to be reinstated in their just title to that name. 



When we see a very extraordinary animal, we are naturally led to 

 suppose that there must be something also remarkable in its history 

 to correspond with the singularity of its figure. But it often happens 

 that history fails on those occasions where we most desire informa- 

 tion. In the present instance, in particular, no bird presents to the 

 eye a more whimsical figure than this, which we must be content to 

 call the Balearic Crane. It is pretty nearly of the shape and size of 

 the ordinary crane, with long legs and a long neck, like others of the 

 kind ; but the bill is shorter, and the colour of the feathers of a dark 

 greenish grey. The head and throat form the most striking part of 

 this bird's figure. On the head is seen standing up, a thick round 

 crest, made of bristles, spreading every way, and resembling rays 

 standing out in different directions. The longest of these rays are 

 about three inches and a half, and they are all topped with a kind of 

 black tassels, which give them a beautiful appearance. The sides of 

 the head and cheeks are bare, whitish, and edged with red, while un- 

 derneath the throat hangs a kind of bag or wattle, like that of a cock, 

 but not divided into two. To give this odd composition a higher fin- 

 ishing, the eye is large and staring; the pupil black and big, surround- 

 ed with a gold-coloured iris, that completes the bird's very singular 

 appearance 



