NUMIDIAN CRANE. 271 



previously; and also that he obtained a male in the island of Unst, 

 in the end of May, 1869, where a pair had been seen on the llth 

 of the same month. One an immature specimen was killed on 

 the banks of the Dee, in Aberdeenshire, in the end of May, 1851, 

 by Mr Francis Anderson, and is still in that gentleman's possession. 

 This bird, as I have been informed by Mr Angus, frequented a 

 field contiguous to the river, for several days. It was wounded in 

 the evening about dusk, and in the darkness escaped by flying into 

 a neighbouring wood. It was, however, shot dead next morning, 

 while roosting in a tree. The specimen was preserved by Mr 

 Mitchell, and shown by him to the late Professor Macgillivray 

 shortly before his death : it was the only example of the species 

 ever seen with flesh by that excellent ornithologist, and is now 

 invested with a somewhat melancholy interest, as being the very 

 last bird he examined. 



An old Scots Act, passed in 1551, provides that the price of a 

 Crane shall not exceed five shillings, thus ranking it with the swan 

 in value. No act of the present day would prevent collectors 

 giving, at least, ten times that amount for a British killed specimen. 



THE NUMIDIAN CRANE. 

 GRUS VIRGO. 



A FINE male bird of this elegant species was shot at Deerness, near 

 Kirkwall, on the 14th May, 1863. Two were seen there for some 

 days, and having attracted the attention of sportsmen in the 

 locality, at once became subjects of close persecution, which 

 resulted in the death of one of the birds. The survivor, not 

 liking this Orcadian welcome, flew off to the adjoining island of 

 Copinshay, and ultimately disappeared. The elegance of their 

 figures and gracefulness of their movements were greatly admired 

 an enjoyment, however, of brief duration, which the early death of 

 the one and banishment of the other but too soon proved. The 

 specimen procured was in good condition, although the stomach 

 contained nothing but a handful of oats. Both birds were much 

 persecuted during their short stay by the gulls and lapwings, 

 which continually buffeted the poor strangers, in spite of the 

 screams of remonstrance which they were ofttimes heard to utter. 

 Looking, therefore, to their inhospitable reception, both amongst 



