THE COMMON CRANE. 175 



numbers. Its wooing gives it an opportunity to show fresh qualities. This important affair comes 

 off in the month of February, and at this time of year the Bustard feels very unsettled and 

 unsociable ; he quits his companions, and puts on his best appearance for conqtiest. Not the least 

 part of the wooing is the combat that he often has with rivals on the way, and the struggle between 

 these competitors for the fair one's regard is fierce and bitter. As they go struggling in the air they 

 look like some birds of prey. The victor, of course, is rewarded with his spouse, and off they go 

 together, to establish a home and found a family. The hen bird alone sees after all the business of 

 incubation, the male meanwhile guarding her, and remaining true to his love. In a small hollow 

 scraped in the ground two rather large eggs are deposited about the beginning of May ; they are of a 

 pale greenish tint. If these eggs are touched by man they are quite forsaken, unless so nearly 

 hatched that the maternal instinct is aroused, and she completes the process. The chicks gather 

 strength after a few days, and at the third week change their down for feathers, and at the fourth are 

 ready to fly. Their food, supplied by the loving mother, consists of little insects, grasshoppers, &c. 

 Ants' eggs are esteemed a great delicacy. It is a pity that these little things are liable to the attacks of 

 Kites and Goshawks. The mother does her best to shield her precious ones, and often successfully, but, 

 alas ! when Eagles and Foxes catch sight of this tempting food, the mother's efforts are too weak, and 

 many fall victims. We have heard of a Bustard attaining the age of fifty years, and even more; so they 

 seem to know how to take care of themselves. As to Bustards being tamed, it is possible. We read of 

 one being kept in a house at Khartoum, and enjoying the society of its owner. The adult Bustard, 

 when imprisoned, requires plenty of space to take his pleasure, and show himself off, but in the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens the male may occasionally be seen in the spring time going through the most 

 extraordinary positions, unexcelled for a love-display by any of the game-birds. The pouch under 

 the tongue, which is supposed to add to the appearance of the bird by being inflated at will, is by no 

 means present in eveiy specimen dissected, and its exact use and object do not yet seem to be clearly 

 defined. 



THE FIFTH FAMILY OF THE GRALL^E, OR WADING BIRDS. 

 THE CRANES (Gru'aue). 



The Cranes maybe subdivided into three sub-families, the Kagus (Rhinochetinai), the Sun Bitterns 

 (Eurypygince), and the true Cranes (Gruince). The Kagus are represented by the single species Rhino- 

 chetus jubatus, of New Caledonia, the Eurypygince also by a single species (Eurypyga /Delias) from South 

 America. Professor Sundevall places the singular Australian bird, Pedionomus torquatus, of Gould, 

 along with the Kagu in the first-named sub-family. Both the Kagu and the Sun Bittern may gene- 

 rally be seen living in the Zoological Gardens, and they go through, even in captivity, the extraordinary 

 antics which seem to be characteristic of the Crane family throughout the globe. The true Cranes 

 (GruincK) are found in almost every part of the world, with the exception of South America, and are 

 birds of stately form and grand demeanour, though their habits of bowing and dancing, which they 

 indulge in both in a state of nature and in captivity, tend to make them occasionally somewhat 

 ridiculous. 



THE COMMON CRANE (Grus cmerea], 



This. is a rare visitor to England, though it has been stated to have bred in the fen-lands in 

 years gone by ; at the present day, however, it occurs only accidentally. In the continent of Europe 

 it is a regular summer visitor, breeding in marshy places in the more northern parts, and occurring 

 in the south on migration, when the flocks pass in the form of a triangle, or in a straight line. 

 In captivity the Crane not only becomes very tame, but displays great intelligence, as may be 

 imagined from the celebrated story related by 0r. Brehm in his " Bird Life," of a domesticated 

 Crane belonging to Von Seyffertitz, who gives a most interesting account of some young birds 

 which he had. A few extracts from this story are given to illustrate the sagacity which the 

 Crane displays : " The extraordinary cleverness and trustful character of my young Cranes," writes 

 Von Seyffertitz, "have reached such a degree of cultivation, that they engage the attention and 

 awake the astonishment of all who see them. In a very short time they not only lost all fear 

 of man and domestic animals, but even sought the companionship of the former. They knew 



