570 BRITISH BIRDS. 



GRITS CINEREA. 

 COMMON CRANE. 



(PLATE 36.) 



Ciconia grus, Briss. Orn. v. p. 374, pi. xxxiii. (1760). 



Ardea grus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 234 (1766). 



Grus communis, Bechst. Naturg, Deutschl. iii. p. 60 (1793). 



Grus cinerea, Bechst. Naturg. Deutschl. iv. p. 103 (1809) ; et auctorum pluri- 



morum Temminck, Naumann, Bonaparte, Degland fy Gerbe, Tristram, Wottey, 



Salvadori, &c. 



Grus canorus, Forst. Syn. Cat. Br. B. p. 58 (1817). 

 Grus vulgaris, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso- Asiat. ii. p. 106 (1826). 

 Grus cinerea longirostris, Temm. 8f Schl. Faun. Japan, p. 117 (1847). 

 Grus cineracea, Brehm, Naumannia, v.p. 289 (1855). 

 Grus communis, var. orientalis, Blyth, Nat. Hist. Cranes, p. 59 (1881). 



Flocks of Common Cranes appear to have migrated to the British Islands 

 to breed in the fens and marshes up to the close of the 16th century, 

 and, if the ancient records are to be believed, remained to winter in con- 

 siderable numbers. A century later Willughby and Ray were unable to 

 ascertain whether they still continued to breed in this country. At the 

 present time this bird can only be regarded as an accidental straggler 

 on migration to our islands, principally to the southern and eastern 

 counties. The spring of 1869 was remarkable for the numerous occur- 

 rences of this handsome bird in this country (Gurney, ' Zoologist/ 1869, 

 p. 1841). It frequently passes the Orkneys and Shetlands on migration, and 

 is occasionally seen on the mainland of Scotland. In Ireland Cranes are 

 very rarely seen, but three were shot out of a party of four in November 1851, 

 near Kinsale, in co. Cork ; and Mr. Lloyd Patterson informs me that a fine 

 male was shot near Killyleagh, co. Down, on the 10th of May, 1882. Two 

 Crapaes were seen near Lough Mask, co. Mayo, on the 1st of January, 1884, 

 one of which was shot (Ussher, ' Zoologist/ 1884, p. 72) . They are recorded 

 to have been extremely numerous, no doubt breeding on the extensive bogs 

 in this country, in the 12th and 14th centuries. 



The Crane breeds in suitable localities throughout Europe and North 

 Asia, wintering in North Africa and South Asia. It occasionally passes 

 the Faroe Islands on migration. In Scandinavia and in Russia it is a local 

 summer visitor up to lat. 68. In West Siberia it has not been found 

 breeding north of the Arctic circle ; in the valley of the Yenesay I did not 

 observe it north of lat. 60 ; Middendorff does not appear to have found 

 it in East Siberia ; but Pallas records it from Kamtschatka ; and it is a 

 summer visitor to the neighbourhood of Lake Baikal and the valley of the 



