THE CRANE KIND. 315 



long fibres, that hang clown upon the stomach, 

 and give the bird a very graceful appearance. 

 The ancients have described a buffoon bird, but 

 there are many reasons to believe that theirs is 

 not the Numidian crane. It comes from that 

 country from whence it has taken its name. 



CHAPTER V. 



OF TriE HERON, AND ITS VARIETIES. 



BIRDS of the Crane, the Stork, and the Heron 

 kind, bear a very strong affinity to each other ; 

 and their differences are not easily discernible. 

 As for the crane and the stork, they differ rather 

 in their nature and internal conformation than in 

 their external figure ; but still they may be known 

 asunder, as well by their colour as by the stork's 

 claws, which are very peculiar, and more resem- 

 bling a man's nails than the claws of a bird. The 

 Heron may be distinguished from both, as well by 

 its size, which is much less, as by its bill, which 

 in proportion is much longer; but particularly 

 by the middle claw on each foot, which is tooth- 

 ed like a saw, for the better seizing and holding 

 its slippery prey. Should other marks fail, how- 

 ever, there is an anatomical distinction, in which 

 herons differ from all other birds, which is, that 

 they have but one caecum, and all other birds 

 have two. 



