BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 293 



THE Common Crane (Grus communis, Bechstein), which is 

 a rare straggling spring and autumn migrant to the British 

 Isles, is found inhabiting the Palearctic Region. The adult 

 has the general colour grey ; top of the head, which is bare 

 of feathers, red ; forehead and lores, black ; nape, chin, and 

 front of neck, greyish-black ; primaries, black ; innermost 

 secondaries, elongated and forming graceful plumes ; irides, 

 crimson ; bill, olivish ; legs and feet, blackish. Length, 

 from forty-five to forty-six inches. 



DEMOISELLE CRANE. 



THE Demoiselle Crane (Grus virgo, Linnaeus) is an ex- 

 ceedingly rare straggling spring migrant to the British 

 Isles, and inhabits the Southern Palearctic Region. The 

 adult male has the general colouration ashy-grey; the sides 

 of the head, neck, and a prolonged plume depending from 

 the breast, blackish ; behind each eye is a long tuft of white 

 feathers passing backwards to the occiput ; secondaries, 

 elongated into slender-pointed plumes, which fall over quills 

 and tail ; irides, crimson ; bill, greenish at base, light brown 

 at tip ; legs and feet, blackish. Length, about thirty-six 

 inches. 1 he female is duller in colour than the male, and 

 the elongated feathers are less developed. (P. 294.) 



