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DEMOISELLE CRANE.— Scops Virso. 



CKOWXED CRX'KE.—Bahdrica iMvonina. 



hanging from the breast. Its secondai'ies are much elongated, and hang over the primaries 

 and tail-feathers. In height the Demoiselle Crane is about three feet six inches. 



The Crowned Crane is even more striking than the demoiselle, its coronet of golden 

 plumes and the scarlet cheeks making it a very conspicuous bird. 



This species is a native of Northern and Western Africa, where it is usually found in 

 swampy and marshy localities, which it frequents for the purpose of feeding on the 

 insects, molhiscs, reptiles, and fislies which are to be caught abundantly in such places. 

 Like the demoiselle, the Crowned Crane occasionally indulges in fantastic gambols, and 

 on account of the conspicuous crest and general aspect of the bird, they have an effect 

 even more ludicrous. 



In captivity the Crowned Crane thrives well, and its hal)its can be readily watched. 

 At the Zoological Gardens there are some fine specimens of these birds, and an hour may 

 be pleasantly spent in watching their proceedings. Sometimes they rest still and stately, 

 one leg tucked under them quite out of sight, and the body balanced on the other. Some- 

 times they like to sit on their bent legs, their feet projecting far in front of them, and 

 their knees, or rather their ankles, sustaining the weight of the body. At another time 

 they will walk majestically about their inclosure, or begin their absurd dances, while a 

 very favourite amusement is to run races at opposite sides of the wire fence, and then 

 come to a halt, each bird trying which can yell the loudest. Tlie voice is very loud, and 

 has something of a trumpet in its liollow ringing resonance. 



The forehead is black, the feathers being short and velvety. From the top of the 

 head rises a tuft of long straight filamentary plumes, of a golden hue, fringed with veiy 

 2. XX 



