THE DEMOISELLE. 233 



posteriorly by a membrane ; their tongue is fleshy, 

 broad, and pointed ; their head either entirely feathered 

 or naked only on the temples ; their legs long, naked, 

 and reticulated ; the two outer toes united at the base 

 by a membrane, while the inner remains free ; the nails 

 short and rather obtuse ; the wings long, with the first 

 four quill-feathers longest, and the secondary of greater 

 length than the primary ; and the tail formed of twelve 

 quills. It must, however, be confessed that the union 

 of the two birds by these characters is somewhat forced ; 

 and that the points of distinction between them, as 

 regards the nature of their crests, the covering of the 

 cheeks and temples, that of the fore part of the throat, 

 the comparative length of their secondary wing-feathers, 

 and their general appearance, are sufficient to justify 

 their separation. Indeed the discovery of a second 

 species, closely allied to the Demoiselle in all these 

 particulars, described by Mr. Vigors in the Zoological 

 Journal as the Stanley Crane, seems to determine the 

 existence of that form as a distinct type, and to render 

 it still more necessary to isolate the Crowned Crane 

 under a new generic name. 



The elegant species to which the French Academi- 

 cians have given the name of Demoiselle is remarkable 

 for the graceful symmetry of its form, the tasteful dis- 

 position of its plumage, and the agreeable contrast of 

 its lighter and dai'ker shades of colour. In an upright 

 position it measures, when fully grown, about three feet 

 six inches to the top of the head ; and its length from 

 the point of the bill to the tip of the tail is about three 

 feet. Of these measurements the neck and legs form a 

 very considerable proportion. A patch of light gray 

 occupies the whole of the upper surface of the head, 

 the sides of which, together with the neck, including 

 the long slender pointed feathers which depend from 



