54



Cranes in Captivity.



snails are plentiful they will not require the meat. The most suitable

grain foods are wheat, barley and Indian corn, especially the last,

which can be given liberally ; in the case of those birds that have just

been imported or that are weakly and ill, it may with advantage be

soaked in boiling water until it is soft, otherwise it can be given dry.


The species par excellence for beginners with these birds is

the Demoiselle Crane, a delightful creature of most delicate coloura¬

tion. The body is of a beautifully soft pearl-grey tint, the wing

feathers are long, pointed, and hang over the tail, being tipped with

black ; the face, throat, and fore-neck are a very dark slate colour,

the feathers of the latter being very long and pendulous ; the ear-

tufts are silvery white, the feathers curving gracefully downward

on each side of the neck. As may be judged this species is a

particularly handsome and graceful bird; it is also one of the tamest

in disposition and speedily gets attached to its owner. Another point

in its favour is that it is perfectly hardy and thrives in most

situations, although a dry soil suits it best. The average cost of

a pair of these Cranes is from £3 to £4 when bought from a dealer,

but a short advertisement in one of the live-stock papers would

probably result in an offer at a lower figure ; in fact, a short time

ago I had an offer of Demoiselle Cranes at a £1 apiece. Being

imported in fairly large numbers if is nearly always on the market

and specimens are readily obtainable at all times from any of the

recognized dealers.


Examples of this species have been bred in this country on

several occasions, but all Cranes, and the Demoiselle is not an ex¬

ception, are very capricious in this respect and will steadily refuse

to do anything of the kind under what appear to be the most

favourable circumstances. This may go on for three or four seasons,

but during the third or fourth year signs of a desire to nest often

become apparent to the observant eye. This is usually noticeable

in an increasing shyness of the birds, and it is at this point that

most amateurs go wrong by generally attributing this conduct to any

reason but the real one, the most usual thing that the beginner

thinks is that the birds have been frightened and their owner

attempts to restore confidence by giving them a good deal of his

or her company and by petting them up by following them about



