DRUIDS 



becomes brighter in color; and in old birds, the tertiaries and 

 some of the scapulars become white and more lengthened, hang- 

 ing over gracefully and exceeding the tail. 



The young have the head and neck dull ferruginous. 



The Sarus is a common permanent resident throughout' 

 "Rajputana and Guzerat, but is very rare in Sind and does not, 

 occur at all in the Deccan. 



They brjeed towards the middle of the rains ; the nest, a huge 

 heap of rushes and straw, is placed generally on some spot sur- 

 rounded by water ; occasionally it is commenced in the water 

 itself, in which case the egg cavity is about 8 or 10 inches above 

 the surface of the water. The eggs, two in number, are elongat- 

 ed ovals, a good deal pointed towards one end ; the shell is hard 

 and strong, pitted with small pores, is generally somewhat glossy, 

 arid frequently exhibit creases or wrinkles. The ground color 

 varies from pure white to pale sea-green and pinky-cream color ; 

 occasionally they are spotless and quite devoid of markings, but 

 generally they are more or less blotched and clouded with pale 

 yellowish-brown and purplish-pink. 



The eggs vary greatly in size ; in length from 3*6 to 4'48, and 

 in breadth from 2'35 to 275. They average 3'96 in length by 

 2 '5 6 in breadth. 



The Sarus occasionally breeds in the cold weather, as on the 

 5th February 1885, while shooting with General Nuttall at 

 Gangrar about 60 miles from Neemuch, I found a nest containing 

 two fresh eggs, and again on the 30th March at Jeerun I found 

 two incubated eggs. 



Grus leucogeranus, Pall 



864. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 663 ; Murray's Verte- 

 brate Zoology of Sind, p. 236 ; Game Birds of India, Vol. Ill, 

 p. 11. 



THE SNOW WKEATH or SIBERIAN CRANE. 

 Length, 48 to 56 ; expanse, 83 to 99'5 ; wing, 22*5 to 26 ; tail, 



775 to 9'5 ; tarsus, 10'5 to 12 ; bill from gape, 675 to 8 ; weight, 



12J to 19 Ibs. 



Bill umber-brown ; membrane of nasal groove, skin of forehead, 



lores and cheeks, red, duller colored in less mature birds ; irides 



bright but very pale-yellow ; legs and feet dull pale reddish-pink. 

 Plumage wholly white ; quills black ; tertiaries lengthened. 

 The Snow Wreath is a very rare cold weather visitant to the 



northern portion of Sind* 



Grus communis, BecJist. 



865. G. cinerea Bechts. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 664 ; 

 Butler, Guzerat; Stray Feathers, Vol. IV, p. 15 ; Deccan, Stray 

 Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 427 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of 

 Sind, p, 237; Game Birds of India, Vol. Ill, p. 21, 



