216 THE CRANE. 



Although, says Macgillivray, not gaudily attired, the 

 corn-crake is richly coloured, and, when observed in its 

 wild haunts, has an appearance of great elegance. It 

 moves in a graceful manner, and when proceeding leisurely 

 walks with what might be called sedateness, lifting its feet 

 rather high, jerking up its short tail, and bending its neck 

 backwards and forwards at every step, like the water-hen. 

 Alarmed, either while walking or uttering its cry, it in- 

 stantly ceases, stands still or crouches, and, if it judges 

 it exj)edient, starts off, throwing its neck out and its body 

 forward. It is not gregarious at any period of its resi- 

 dence with us, although, in favourable localities — such as 

 ample meadows — many individuals may sometimes be 

 found not far from one another. Its food consists of 

 worms, snails, beetles, and other insects. 



Among the migi^atory birds which visit Temperate Eu- 

 rope every year, the Crane holds a foremost place. It is 

 a sober-coloured bird, whose plumage is chiefly of an ashen- 

 gray tint ; the crown of the head is red and bare, and a 

 dull white stripe slants from each eye down the side of the 

 neck. It generally arrives in Holland and Germany about 

 the end of spring ; flying high, and in wedge-shaped flocks, 

 like the Macedonian phalanx. It builds a rude nest in 

 the most secluded marshy places ; and the female lays a 

 couple of greenish gray eggs, spotted with brown. 



Sir J. Richardson well observes, that the migration and 

 periodical flight of the crane and other birds, though in- 

 stigated and controlled by innate intelligence, must yet 

 be regarded as peculiarly demonstrative of the Creator's 



