g8 The hitelligence of Cra?ies.


degree resemble their male parent. This, however, was not the

case for all three of them were almost like young House-Sparrows,

except that they were much smaller.


The survivor has now completed its nest- feather moult ; its

wings are marked with two distinct bars, and it has a vinous-

buff eyebrow streak, otherwise little or no change has taken

place in the colour of its plumage.



THE INTELLIGENCE OF CRANES.

By W. H. St. Ouintin, F.Z.S.


Those who have kept Cranes under close observation must


often have noticed evidence of exceptional intelligence in these


birds.


Amongst birds there are no more devoted parents, and


they exhibit great constancy and affection towards their mates;


and even attachment to their owners. This applies particularly


to solitary individuals.


I was very much interested a few evenings ago to see how

cleverly some of my Cranes took advantage of their artificial

surroundings to secure an active prey, which they evidently

considered a delicacy.


I first noticed a male White-naped Crane (Leucauche?i)

stride quietly up to a high wire fence, and capture something at

the foot of the netting. Then I saw that this bird's mate was

standing attentively watching another part of the same fence a

little way off, while two Siberian Cranes (JLeucogeramis) were

doing the same thing in another part of the paddock, each

keeping apart from the other, but close to the wire netting.

The male White Crane is very tame, and I was able to move

gently up, and to stand within three paces of him for some ten

minutes without disturbing him. I saw, as I suspected, that the

dor-beetle was the quarry ; and while I stood by the Crane he

secured seven of these insects, which struck the fence in their

clumsy, circling flight, and fell to the ground. From time to

time the other birds were making similar captures, so that

evening a good "bag" must have been made of the beetles.

The insects were not crushed at all, but were immediately



