6 GRALLATORES. GRUS. CRANE. 
Rare visi. rank in our Fauna, at the present day, as a very rare visi- 
tant. 
Nest, &c, 
Food. 
tant. The Crane, in its contour and gait, bears a consider- 
able resemblance to some of the Struthionide ; and we are 
immediately reminded of the Ostrich, by the long flowing 
plumes that overhang the tail. Through this and other fa- 
milies its affinity to the Rasores is readily traced. In its 
internal conformation it also differs very essentially from the 
more typical families of the Grallatores, and its strong and 
muscular stomach indicates a different general economy from 
that of the members of the succeeding family of Ardeada, in 
which it was included by former authors. It is gregarious, 
and usually makes its distant aérial voyages in considerable 
bodies, which fly at a great elevation, uttering during their 
progress loud cries, which may be distinctly heard even when 
the birds themselves are far beyond the reach of sight ; and 
these flights are very frequently performed in the night 
time. Its equatorial migrations extend to India, Egypt, 
and other warm climates of Asia and Africa; but in sum- 
mer it retires to the northern and eastern parts of Europe to 
breed. The nest is placed amongst the long herbage of 
marshy tracts, and sometimes (according to 'TEMMINCK) up- 
on ruins, or the roofs of houses. Its eggs, two in number, 
are of a pale bluish-green colour, blotched with brown. It 
frequents extensive plains, particularly open grounds under 
cultivation, and feeds much upon newly sown corn and other 
seeds; in this respect indicating a close connexion with 
birds of the gallinaceous or rasorial order. It, however, 
readily devours both worms and frogs and other reptiles, 
the more appropriate food of the Ardeade, to which family 
its long slender neck, lengthened tarsi, form of wings, &c. 
show a near approach. The Crane, as well as other mem- 
bers of the Gruid@ (as genus Anthropoides, &c.) exhibits a 
remarkable structure of the trachea or windpipe. In this 
bird, instead of going directly into the thorax, it enters a 
large cavity formed in the keel of the sternum, and is there 
doubly reflected ; the first duplicature reaching the full ex- 
