GRUS. 



569 



their long bills and their elongate instead of ovate nostrils ; but no purpose 

 can be served in splitting up such a small genus, since we are absolutely 

 ignorant of the taxonomic value of these characters. 



The number of species, their characters and distribution, are consequently 

 the same as those of the family. 



The Cranes frequent open tracts of country, large plains, and extensive 

 swamps. They are migratory (breeding in the north and wintering in 

 the tropics), and perform their annual journeys at great elevations. Their 

 notes are very loud and powerful. Their food consists principally of grain, 

 small mammals and reptiles, and insects. Their nests are large, and com- 

 posed of reeds, dry grass, sticks, &c., and are built on the ground in a 

 little-frequented part of a morass. Their eggs are very handsome, olive 

 or greenish brown in ground-colour, spotted and blotched with various 

 shades of brown. 



NEST OF WATERMEN. 



