4<> THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



To see the great bustard in a wild state to-day, one 

 would have to travel to Spain. And if one could make 

 a pilgrimage for this purpose during the birds' courting- 

 season, some very wonderful antics on the part of the 

 male would be witnessed. These antics make up what 

 is really a very elaborate love-display. In this perform- 

 ance the bird inflates his neck with wind, draws his 

 head closely down on to the back, throws up his tail, 

 so as to make -the most of the pure white feathers 

 underneath, and sticks up certain of the quill-feathers 

 of the wins in a manner that only a gnat bustard can. 

 Certain long feathers projecting from each side of the 

 head now stand out like the quills of the porcupine, 

 forming a sort of ckeval-de-frise on either side of the 

 head, and complete the picture, which, in our eyes, 

 savours of the ludicrous. The inflation of the neck is 

 brought about by filling a specially developed wind-bag 



M. *, StMtirii Flint, ft., P*n,*', 



MANCHURIAN CRANE 



Tki fiikald flsimagt of tkis iftciei is distinctive 



between the gullet and the skin 

 with air through a small hole 

 under the tongue. For manyyears 

 it was believed this bag was used 

 as a sort of water-bottle, to enable 

 the bird to live amid the arid 

 wastes which were its chosen 

 haunts. 



. t, S.Mault P* 



'W* - 



u 



t 



WATTLED CRANE 



& ratttJ from ski ftndtnl lafftti of tki throat, 

 is a Sautk African iftcits 



COMMON CRANE 

 CRANES. 



Cranes vary much in general appearance Some 

 species have much of the skin round the head hare and 

 brilliantly coloured, such as the SARI'S CRANK of India 

 and the CKOUMD ("RANK. 



The WIIITK and WHOOPING CKAXF.S are birds of 

 wondrous beauty. Tlv first-named species has been not 

 inaptlv called the "lily of birds." The whole plumage. 

 with the exception of the black quills, is white. The legs 

 are red. as is also the face. Dr. ('ours once mistook one 

 of these birds the \Yiioni-i N ( ; CK- \\i for an antelope. 

 He and a companion saw what they "look to lie an an- 

 telope standing quietly feeding, with his broad white 

 stern inward us. and only about ;tx) yards oil" \Ve 

 attempted f,,r at least fifteen minutes to 'Mas,'' the crea- 

 ture This proving unavailing, my friend proceeded 

 to stalk the game, for about half the distance before 



