88 



CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. 



they prefer, as affording a rich "and constant supply of the frogs, molluscs, worms, and vegetable diet 

 upon which they subsist. In Palestine the Cranes visit the cultivated districts only in the time of their 

 spring migrations, when but a few pairs remain in the marshy plains, while the greater number pass 

 on to the north. In the Southern Wilderness they resort in immense numbers to certain favourite 

 roosting-places during the winter. Towards evening at this season, we are told that clouds of these 

 enormous birds literally darken the air. Their roosting-place, according to Dr. Tristram, is usually 

 a gently-sloping, isolated knoll, where no ambush is possible, and where they can keep a good look- 

 out on all sides. In such situations their whooping and trumpeting cry is to be heard through the 



THE SUN BITTERN, OR PEACOCK HERON (Eurypyga helias). ONE-FOURTH NATURAL SIZE. 



entire night. The following interesting particulars respecting the migrations of these birds in the 

 Wilderness of Sinai are from the notes of the Rev. F. W. Holland : — " On March the 22nd we saw an 

 immense flock of Cranes crossing the Red Sea from Africa. The line appeared to stretch across the 

 whole breadth of the sea. Five days afterwards we found a solitary one amongst the mountains, which 

 did not attempt to fly, but stalked majestically on before our camels, quite regardless of a few revolver 

 bullets whizzing close past him. At last an Arab boy gave chase, and running him into a bush soon 

 caught him, and returned in triumph, holding him up by the tips of his wings. When released he 

 stalked on as unconcernedly as before ; but when on the point of being caught again, the strange bird 

 suddenly took wing, and after wheeling round several times flew away over the mountains. On the 

 13th of April, three days south of Beersheba, in the desert, another large flock of more than two 



