THE BIRDS 297 



feathered wattles depending from the chin ; the Demoiselle Crane 

 of Northern Africa, Spain, and the South of Russia, a small and 

 graceful bird with delicate grey plumage, black head and breast, 

 and tufts of white feathers extending backwards from the eye ; 

 and the Crowned or Crested Crane of Africa, which is adorned 

 with handsome fan-shaped crests of stiff twisted feathers on the 

 top of the head. 



At one time the Cranes were classed with the storks and herons, 

 but although resembling them in outward appearance they are not 

 nearly related. The Herons and Storks are allied to the pelicans, 

 frigate-birds, cormorants, etc; Herons, although by no means 

 common birds, are familiar to most people ; they are shy and 

 solitary in their habits, though they often breed in colonies. They 

 may often be seen standing in the shallow water on the margins 

 of rivers or inland streams and lakes, fishing for their food, or 

 flying to and from their favourite feeding grounds with great 

 flapping of wings, and the head drawn back on to the shoulders: 

 Night Herons usually frequent wooded districts in the vicinity of 

 swamps, and although they have a world-wide distribution, are 

 rarely seen on account of their nocturnal habits. Bitterns live 

 in marshlands, and were at one time common in England, but 

 since the draining of the swamps and reed beds they have become 

 but rare visitors.- 



The Egrets the Great White Heron of the Old World, the Little 

 Egret of southern and south-eastern Europe, and the Australian 

 Plumed Egret belong to the Heron family. In the breeding season 

 these birds display the beautiful plumes known as " ospreys," 

 and for the sake of them they are murdered in thousands, and 

 the young nestlings, bereft of their parents, are left to die of 

 starvation. I cannot but believe that if this terrible fact were 

 more widely known, no woman would be induced to buy or wear 

 the delicate plumes so ruthlessly torn from the heads of these 

 poor birds ; as it is, unless some steps are taken to stop the whole- 

 sale killing of the Egrets, before very long they will become extinct: 



The Storks range over most parts of Europe, and extend through 

 Turkey and Persia to India and Central Asia, and in the winter 

 visit Africa in great numbers. The White Stork (Ciconia alba) is 

 fond of building near human habitations, and often chooses the 

 roof of a house for the site of its nest, which is composed of a great 



