Storks ^ Cranes 241 



when I record the following story about my Sarus 

 cranes. , 



They were a magnificent pair of birds, which used 

 to walk with stately gait about the park ; and, having 

 only the primaries of one wing clipped, when they 

 moulted and grew new feathers, soon managed to fly. 



I tried to catch them, but I was placed on the 

 horns of a dilemma. 



Either catch them, in which case the new feathers 

 would not be sufficiently grown to cut with any due 

 effect, or leave the feathers to grow long enough, in 

 which case one wouldn't catch them. 



And the latter came to pass. 



So these great birds used to take flights round the 

 park, their enormous pinions flapping along. As the 

 feathers grew, their flights became longer, and they 

 went farther afield. 



But they always returned home ; at least they did 

 so until they didn't ; which seems to happen with a 

 good many things in this life ! 



When at last it came about that the cranes were 

 absent a whole twenty-four hours, search and inquiry 

 was made for them in the immediate neighbourhood. 



It was reported that at a farm about three miles off 

 they had been shot. 



What epithets are strong enough for that farmer 

 who did the deed ? 



The report was only too true. 



The cranes had settled, and were feeding with 

 the poultry in a field close to the farmhouse. The 

 dunder-headed farmer, who merely remarked that 



Q 



