GRUIDJE. 385 



Family GRUID^E. 



The true Cranes are birds of large size with long necks and legs, 

 19 or 20 cervical vertebrae, the bill as long as the head or longer, 

 and a depression which extends on each side halt' or more than half: 

 the length of the upper mandible, and contains the nostril shut in by 

 a large membrane on the posterior side. Tail-feathers 12, primaries 

 11. Aftershaft present, but small ; no fifth secondary; the lateral 

 bare tracts extend some distance up the neck. Trachea passing 

 into a hollow space between the bony walls of the sternal keel, and 

 more or less convoluted ; furcula anchylosed to keel of sternum. 



Cranes are generally grey or white in colour. They are in the 

 main vegetable feeders, though they occasionally eat insects, 

 reptiles, or fish. All have a loud trurnpet-like call, the production 

 of which is probably connected with the tracheal convolutions. The 

 majority are migratory and gregarious. They breed on the ground, 

 usually in marshy places, and lay two eggs, as a rule, in a rough 

 nest of grass and rushes. They generally appear to pair for life, and 

 indulge in most extraordinary dances during the nuptial season. 



The Cranes have been divided into a large number of genera, 

 some of which, distinguished solely by differences in the extent to 

 which the head is feathered, are not here adopted. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Crown naked or scantily clad with black 



hairs; feathers of fore neck not lengthened. Gnus, p. 185. 



b. Head feathered throughout, feathers of fore 



neck lengthened ANTHROPOIDES, p. 190. 



Genus GRUS, Pallas, 1766. 



Head partly or wholly bare of feathers. Wings long, ample, 

 3rd quill usually longest ; tertiary quills lengthened, exceeding the 

 primaries considerably : tail short ; tibia naked for a considerable 

 portion of its length. Toes short, stout; claws short, rather 

 obtuse. Sexes alike in plumage. 



Cranes are widely distributed. Four species are Indian or 

 Burmese. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Plumage grey. 



a'. Crown naked in adults ; sides of head and 



upper neck feathered ; tarsus less than 10. G. communis, p. 186. 

 b 1 . ^VVhole head and upper neck without 

 feathers; tarsus over ll. 



a". A white collar G. antigone, p. 188. 



b". No white collar G. sharpii, p. 189. 



b. Plumage white G. leucoyeranus, p. 187. 



