578 BRITISH BIRDS. 



amongst the multitude capable of making itself heard for two miles. 

 Scream as you will, it will be a couple of minutes before you can make a 

 man close beside you hear a syllable you say." 



The Demoiselle Crane is said by Hume to run well, but not so quickly 

 as the Common Crane. When wounded, it sometimes takes to the water 

 or fights fiercely. In some countries this Crane is chased by Hawks. 

 Throughout the winter the Demoiselle Crane is constantly shifting its 

 quarters, and the large flocks are continually separating into smaller 

 parties and reuniting again. When the grain is cut they frequent the 

 stubbles, where, if alarmed, they often rise for some distance in the air, 

 and soar in wide circles for hours. They are at all times very wary and 

 suspicious, and usually one or two birds are always on duty as sentinels to 

 warn the flock of the approach of any danger. 



The Demoiselle Crane is a smaller bird than the Common species, but is 

 more elegant in shape. Its general colour is pale slate-grey. The sides 

 of the head and neck and the entire chin and throat are black, the feathers 

 of the latter elongated and pointed, concealing the upper breast. A tuft 

 of long white feathers ornaments each side of the head. The quills are 

 black, as are also the ends of the innermost secondaries, which are long 

 and pointed, concealing the tail, but not curled as in the Common Crane. 

 Bill olive at the base, pale brown at the tip ; legs, feet, and claws nearly 

 black ; irides deep scarlet. The female is slightly duller in colour than 

 the male, and her nuptial plumes are somewhat smaller. Winter plumage 

 scarcely differs from that of summer, except that the nuptial plumes are 

 less developed. In young in first plumage the nuptial plumes on the 

 sides of the head are very small and grey, the innermost secondaries and 

 the feathers of the throat are not elongated, and the black on the head 

 and neck is only represented by a brown patch in the middle of the latter. 

 Birds of the year, after their first spring moult, are intermediate. They 

 probably do not breed until the second year ; and the small flocks that are 

 seen during the breeding-season most likely consist of birds of the year. 



An example of the Soudan Crane (Grus pavonia), often erroneously 

 called the Balearic Crane, was shot in Ayrshire on the 17th of September 

 1871 (Gray, Ibis, 1872, p. 201). There can be little doubt that it had 

 escaped from confinement, as this species is only known to breed in West 

 Africa and the Upper Valley of the Nile, where it is said to be a resident. 

 The Soudan Crane may easily be recognized by its peculiar crown of 

 feathers at the back of the head, by its white wing-coverts and chestnut 

 secondaries. 



