184 Order XII 



various low situations, generally in marsh or river 

 vegetation, sometimes on tree-stumps near water, less 

 commonly in thick old hedge -rows over ditches. 



The Coot (Fulica atra) is blacker and larger than 

 the Water-hen with merely a white stripe on the wing 

 and a large white plate on the forehead. As is the 

 case with the latter, it breeds from Shetland to the 

 Channel, but requires larger pieces of water and is there- 

 fore more local. Abroad it ranges over Europe and 

 temperate Asia to the Azores, north Africa, northern 

 India, the Philippines, China and Japan. The flight is 

 comparatively strong though low, the note an unmistake- 

 able croaking sound, the food similar to that of the last 

 species ; but the nest, nearly always built in water some 

 feet deep, is much larger and more solid, and the eggs 

 shew small blackish specks on a yellowish ground. 



Suborder Grues 

 Family GRUID^I, or Cranes 



The Cranes, sometimes confounded with Storks, are 

 tall birds with very long necks and feet, a hind-toe 

 placed very high above the others, and long stout pointed 

 bills. Our species, when adult, has a warty red patch 

 on the head and long drooping secondary wing-feathers. 

 It is entirely a marsh bird in the breeding season. 



To students of antiquity the Crane (Grus grus) and 

 the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) are of exceptional 

 interest, but whereas the latter bred in eastern England 

 until the earlier years of last century, the former ceased 

 to do so before the year 1600. It nested in the marshes 

 of East Anglia, but now is quite an irregular visitor 

 from its homes in Europe and Asia. In both continents 

 the bird is widely distributed, but only breeds in wild 



