OP THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 97 



again, in the meanwhile, run races, and on arrival at the goal, return striding 

 along gravely and quietly, whilst the rest of the assembly greet them with 

 reiterated cries, inclinations of the head, and other demonstrations." Curious as 

 these antics undoubtedly are, however, we may fairly presume that the worthy 

 professor has allowed his imagination to assist him not a little in penning the 

 above notes. The nest of this Crane is always made on the ground, either 

 amongst grain or grass, or, according to Dybowski, on the rocky banks of a 

 river. It is only a slight affair, a mere hollow trodden in the ground, and lined 

 with a few bits of herbage. The latter naturalist states that the nest is made 

 of small stones fitting close to each other, the surface of the nest being flat, 

 and deepening towards the centre. The two eggs are laid about the end of April, 

 or the first half of May, although Dybowski states that he has seen them in June 

 and until the middle of July. They are pale buff or olive-brown in ground- 

 colour, spotted and blotched with umber-brown and grey. The shell is rather 

 coarse, and full of small pores. They measure on an average 3'5 inches in length 

 by 2'0 inches in breadth. Both male and female are said to assist in the duty of 

 incubation, which lasts about a month. The bird which chances to be off the 

 eggs is usually placed sentinel-like close by the nest, ready to give the alarm and 

 to take part in driving off predaceous birds or animals. The Demoiselle Crane 

 appears to rear one brood only in the year, and the young chicks are soon able to 

 leave the nest and follow their parents. 



Diagnostic characters. — Grus, with the general colour of the 

 plumage pale slate-grey, the feathers of the throat elongated, the tertials long and 

 pointed, but not curled, and a tuft of long white feathers on each side of the head, 

 which is neither crested nor bare of feathers. Length, 31 to 36 inches. 



Note. — An example of the Soudan Crane, Grus pavonia, has been obtained in the British Islands 

 (Ayrshire, lyth September, 1871), but as it is said to be a sedentary species, and one often kept in 

 confinement, there can be Uttle doubt that the individual in question had escaped from captivity. The 

 date of capture and the area inhabited by the species (Central and West Africa) preclude any possibility 

 of a normal visit to us. 



