AVES—URANE 625 
yous as she retires from the nest. If very near, she appears altogether 
unconcerned ; and her cries cease in proportion as her fears are augmented. 
When approached by dogs, she flies heavily, at a little distance before tnem, 
as if maimed; still vociferous, and still bold, but never offering to move 
towards the quarter where her young ones are stationed. The dogs pursue, 
m expectation every moment of seizing the parent, and by this means actu- 
ally lose the offspring ; for the cunning bird, having thus drawn them off to 
a proper distance, exerts her powers, and leaves her astonished pursuers to 
gaze at the rapidity of her flight.” The lapwing may be domesticated, and 
it then becomes uncommonly familiar and confiding. 
THE CRANE! 
Is a tall, slender bird, with a long neck and long legs. The top of the head 
is covered with black bristles, and the back of it is bald and red, which suf- 
ficiently distinguishes this bird from the stork, to which it is very nearly 
allied in size and figure. The plumage, in general, is ash colored; and there 
are two large tufts of feathers that spring from the pinion of each wing. 
1Grus cinerea, Becust. The genus Grus has the bill as long as, or longer than the 
head, strong, straight, compressed, obtuse towards the tip; lateral base of the mandible 
deeply sulcated ; ridge elevated; nostrils in the middle of the bill closed behind bya 
membrane; region of the eyes and base of the bill naked and papillous, or covered with 
feathers; legs long, with a large naked space above the knees; the middle fore toe united 
to the outer by a rudimentary membrane, the inner divided ; hind toe articulated higher on 
the tarsus, 
79 5S 
