SIBERIAN CBANE. 25 



St. Petersburg. Temminck endorsed this statement, but it has never 

 been corroborated by other observers. "Writing in 1855, ("Nau- 

 mannia," p. 480,) Professor Blasius includes it among the doubtful 

 European species; and in a private letter which I received from M. 

 de Selys-Longchamps, dated August 25th., 1861, this distinguished 

 ornithologist expresses his doubts whether it ought to be considered 

 a European species. 



The real home of the Great "White Crane is Siberia and Persia, 

 from whence, if ever seen in Europe, it accidentally wanders. The 

 Cranes are remarkable for their long flight, and hence this and 

 other allied species may be seen crossing parts of the European continent 

 in their migrations, without becoming entitled to a place in its 

 avifauna. It is a very shy bird, and its identity is often assumed 

 from its large size and white colour, as seen at a distance. 



In his interesting "Reisen im Amur-Lande," Dr. Leopold von 

 Schrenck relies upon this kind of evidence, as will be shown by 

 the following extract from his work: — *' I believe this majestic 

 Crane has been many times observed in Amur-Land, without 

 its being possible for me to kill it, owing to its extreme caution 

 in keeping out of gunshot. I saw this bird for the first time 

 on the 6th. (18th.) of July, 1855, on a bare sand-bank of the 

 River Amur, in the neighbourhood of Gorin. I recognised it by 

 its large size, much surpassing that of the Great White Heron, and 

 by its conspicuous white plumage. As I tried to steal towards it, 

 it took a long step away, and then stood still again. After a short 

 interval it flew away, with loud cries, like that of a Swan. Another 

 time, on the 15th. (27th.) of September, I saw three of these birds 

 on the shallow shores of an island on the lower part of the Amur, 

 near Ischelmok. Again the size left me no doubt about the birds 

 at which I was looking. They flew off before the boat came 

 within gunshot, with loud cries, and soared away high up in the air, 

 but they again dropped down when we went away." 



As this Crane, according to Pallas, is observed throughout the 

 whole of Siberia, and is also found on the Lena, in Dauria, China, 

 and Japan, Dr. Schrenck very naturally remarks, it is most probably 

 an inhabitant of Amur-Land. 



In India it is a rare winter visitant to several parts of the north- 

 west provinces. Colonel Irby states ^Ibis," vol. iii, p. 243,) that 

 although he saw it on four different occasions at Sandee, in February, 

 and at Hilgee, on the River Choka, in December, 1859, he could 

 not get within shot. Deputy Surgeon-General Stewart informs me 

 that there was a specimen of this bird procured by the late Dr, 

 VOL. V, B 



