240 Storks & Cranes 



most interesting touches to the scenery of the great 

 river of Egypt are the birds. 



Birds which are alive to-day figure upon the walls 

 of temples built 3500 years ago. 



On the walls of Dehr-el-Bahari, the way in which 

 the different species of birds are drawn and coloured is 

 most striking, and there is no mistaking ducks of 

 various kinds, notably the pintail ; as well as geese, 

 ibises, herons, and cranes. 



Now, the sacred ibis is an inhabitant of Egypt no 

 more. 



The modes in which different birds were captured 

 and secured is shown clearly at the temple of Queen 

 Hatepsu just mentioned. 



Cranes, for instance, could peck as much in the 

 days of the ancient Egyptians as they can now. 



Consequently their bills were tied down to the 

 front of their necks, with a cord passing round the 

 neck itself. 



The different kinds of cranes are extremely orna- 

 mental in captivity, from the graceful little demoiselle, 

 with its pretty white ear tufts, to the great grey Sarus 

 crane of India, or the black and white Mantchurian, 

 immortalised on Japanese screens, cabinets, and porce- 

 lain. 



Personally, my experience of cranes as pets has 

 been limited to the European, the Sarus, the Australian 

 " companions," Demoiselle, and White Siberian. 



Will people wonder that I sometimes entertain 

 bitter feelings towards those who shoot rarce aves, 

 amounting in one instance to anger, hatred, and malice, 



