6 GRALLATORES. GRUS. CRANE. 



Rare visi- rank in our Fauna, at the present day, as a very rare visi- 

 tant. The Crane, in its contour and gait, bears a consider- 

 able resemblance to some of the StruthionidcB ; and we are 

 immediately reminded of the Ostrich, by the long flowing 

 plumes that overhang the tail, Through this and other fa- 

 milies its affinity to the Rasores is readily traced. In its 

 internal conformation it also differs very essentially from the 

 more typical families of the Grallatores, and its strong and 

 muscular stomach indicates a different general economy from 

 that of the members of the succeeding family of Ardeada, in 

 which it was included by former authors. It is gregarious, 

 and usually makes its distant aerial voyages in considerable 

 bodies, which fly at a great elevation, uttering during their 

 progress loud cries, which may be distinctly heard even when 

 the birds themselves are far beyond the reach of sight ; and 

 these flights are very frequently performed in the night 

 time. Its equatorial migrations extend to India, Egypt, 

 and other warm climates of Asia and Africa ; but in sum- 

 mer it retires to the northern and eastern parts of Europe to 



Nest, &c. breed. The nest is placed amongst the long herbage of 

 marshy tracts, and sometimes (according to TEMMINCK) up- 

 on ruins, or the roofs of houses. Its eggs, two in number, 

 are of a pale bluish-green colour, blotched with brown. It 

 frequents extensive plains, particularly open grounds under 



Food. cultivation, and feeds much upon newly sown corn and other 

 seeds ; in this respect indicating a close connexion with 

 birds of the gallinaceous or rasorial order. It, however, 

 readily devours both worms and frogs and other reptiles, 

 the more appropriate food of the Ardeada, to which family 

 its long slender neck, lengthened tarsi, form of wings, &c. 

 show a near approach. The Crane, as well as other mem- 

 bers of the Gruidte (as genus Antliropoides, &c.) exhibits a 

 remarkable structure of the trachea or windpipe. In this 

 bird, instead of going directly into the thorax, it enters a 

 large cavity formed in the keel of the sternum, and is there 

 doubly reflected ; the first duplicature reaching the full ex- 



