30 BRITISH BIRDS. 



forehead, to the middle of the crown, is covered 

 with black hairy down, through which, if the bird 

 be healthy, the skin appears red ; behind this, it is 

 nearly bare, and entirely so for the space of about 

 two inches on the nape of the neck, which is ash- 

 grey. The sides of the head behind the eyes, and 

 the hinder part of the neck, are white. The space 

 between the bill and eyes, the cheeks, and fore part 

 of the neck, are a blackish ash; greater wing 

 coverts also blackish, and those farthest from the 

 body, with the bastard wing and quills, quite black : 

 the rest of the plumage is a line waved light ash. 

 From the pinion of each wing springs an elegant 

 tuft of loose feathers, curled at the ends, which fall 

 gracefully over the tail, in their flexibility, position, 

 and texture, resembling the plumes of the Ostrich. 

 The legs, and bare part of the thighs, are black. 

 The Crane measures, when extended, from the tip 

 of the bill to the toes, more than five feet in length, 

 and weighs nearly ten pounds; its gait is erect, 

 and its figure tall and slender. 



The Crane differs from the Stork and Heron in 

 the singular conformation of the windpipe, which, 

 "entering far into the breast bone, (which has a 

 cavity to receive it,) and being thrice reflected, 

 goes out again at the same hole, and so turns 

 down to the lungs."* It differs from them, also, 

 in some other particulars, both internally and 

 externally. 



This species is widely spread, and, in its migra- 

 tions, performs the boldest and most distant 

 journies. 



* Willoughby. 



