298 HISTORY OF 



brown stork, about three feet high, and about 

 four from the tip to the tail. Still, however, the 

 numerous testimonies of its superior size are not 

 to be totally rejected; and perhaps that from 

 which Brisson took his dimensions was one of the 

 smallest of the kind. 



The crane, taking its dimensions from him, is 

 exactly three feet four inches from the tip to the 

 tail, and four feet from the head to the toe. It 

 is a tall slender bird, with a long neck and long 

 legs. The top of the head is covered with black 

 bristles, and the back of it is bald and red, which 

 sufficiently distinguishes this bird from the stork, 

 to which it is very nearly allied in size and figure. 

 The plumage, in general, is ash-coloured ; and 

 there are two large tufts of feathers that spring 

 from the pinion of each wing. These bear a re- 

 semblance to hair, and are finely curled at the 

 ends, which the bird has a power of erecting and 

 depressing at pleasure. Gesner says that these 

 feathers, in his time, used to be set in gold, and 

 worn as ornaments in caps. 



Such are the dimensions of a bird, concerning 

 which, not to mention modern times, there have 

 been more fables propagated than of any other. 

 It is a bird with which all the ancient writers are 

 familiar, and in describing it they have not failed 

 to mix imagination with history. From the po- 

 licy of the cranes, they say, we are to look for an 

 idea of the most perfect republic amongst our- 

 selves; from their tenderness to their decrepit 

 parents, which they take care to nourish, to che- 

 rish, and support when flying, we are to learn 



