168 BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS. 



shy and retiring in their habits, and living in society in 

 wild, wooded marshes, and about the borders of lakes and 

 rivers, but not often visiting the sea. The present species 

 is reported formerly to have bred in this country, but we 

 fear it is only as an occasional visitor that it is known now 

 among us. It is widely spread over Europe and the regions 

 of Asia and Africa ; in the former continent extending pro- 

 bably to India ; and in the latter, reaching as far southward 

 as the Cape of Good Hope. In Holland, where it is not 

 uncommon, it migrates with the Storks ; and during the 

 warmer seasons it is to be found in France, retiring to 

 warmer latitudes as winter approaches. It appears to breed 

 both upon lofty trees and among reeds, near the ground. 

 The nest is a large and strongly -compacted structure, and 

 the eggs, generally three in number, are white, with blotches 

 or markings of pale-brown. The animal food of this spe- 

 cies is usually such as occurs in pools of water, to which 

 it adds the roots of certain weeds and grasses, for which it 

 explores the muddy water with its broad bill. 



THE COMMON CRANE. Grus cinerea. The Common 

 Crane is distributed over a great part of Europe, Asia, and 

 Africa. It visits the northern parts of the European con- 

 tinent in spring, retiring southward again in autumn. This 



