46 Monograph of the Oranes. 



Saras crane of the Peninsula of India), at this time in the Zoological 

 Gardens, Eegent's Park, has not put forth the white nuchal ring during the 

 breeding season, while the more northern species retains it at all seasons. 

 There are several good mounted specimens of G. torquata in the ornitho- 

 logical gallery of the British Museum, but no living example in the 

 Regent's Park menagerie. 



There has been so much confusion as regards the species of this particular 

 group of cranes, that it is impossible upon present data to trace the 

 geographical distribution of either one of them, the Australian "native 

 companion " alone excepted. In the trans-Baikal countries the species is 

 the G. leucauchen of Temminck ; and in Australia the G. austraUs is the 

 antigone of the older catalogues. In India and Burma further observation 

 is needed, now that it is shown that two species have been confounded under 

 the name antigone. In Bengal I have only seen the G. torquata, and I am 

 satisfied that the following description given by my friend Major L. Howard 

 Kirbyl {Ibis, 1861, p. 242) refers to it. Major Irby's paper is entitled 

 " Notes on Birds observed in Oudh and Kemaon." 



Found in great nambers in the cold season, generally in pairs, though sometimes in 

 flocks, whereas the Common and Demoiselle Oranes are always seen in flocks. Many 

 Saras remain to breed in Oudh, forming an immense nest of grass and rushes in the 

 centre of large jheels. The number of eggs which are laid in June is generally two ; 

 some eggs are pure white, others white (or rather bluish white) spotted with red at the 

 larger end. The young birds are easily reared by hand, and become very tame and 

 attached to the person who feeds them, following him like a dog. They are very 

 amusing birds, going through the most grotesque dances and antics, and are well worth 

 keeping in captivity. One which I kept, when bread and milk was given to him, would 

 take the bread out of the milk, and wash it in his pan of water before eating it. This 

 bird, which was taken out of the King's palace at Lucknow, was very fierce towards 

 strangers and dogs, especially if they were afraid of him. He was very noisy — the only 

 bad habit he possessed. The natives say that if a Saras be killed, its mate will never 

 pair again [P] ; certainly I have heard the survivor calling all night for its mate, and 

 since then I never would shoot them. The flesh somewhat resembles that of a goose ; 

 it makes capital soup, and the liver is considered rather a delicacy by some people. 



[The species is not named by Latham, Index No. 4, a reference given by 

 Vieillot, who gives the following description and a bad coloured plate : La 

 Grue a collier, Grus torquata. Cette grue qu'on trouve aux Indes orientales, a 

 la haut du cou orne d'un collier rouge, borde de brun dans la partie inferieure; 

 la tete nue et d'un gris rougeatre ; les pennes des ailes, celles de la queue 

 noires, le reste dn plumage d'un gris bleu&,trej le bee noirj les pieds 

 noirfLtres. Longeur totale, four pieds three pouces. — Vieillot Gal. des Oiseaux, 

 vol. ii., p. 142.] 



