ORNITHOLOGY. 



The small and taper form of these singular birds gives 

 them a facility of motion, suited to their situation, and 

 which they could not otherwise attain ; how inconvenient, 

 unsuitable and heavy would the splendid (ail of the Peacock 

 be found, if we were to suppose it changed for that of the 

 Crane ? or if he had the short legs of the Woodpecker or 

 Dotterell, how ill suited would he be to procure his necessary 

 food ? 



It is observable, that in their flight these birds always 

 contract their long neck, into a crooked line, doubling it 

 towards their body, in order to balance it through the air, 

 and that the action of their wings is more slow and majestic 

 than that of most other birds. If it should so happen that no 

 food should offer itself in the fresh water marshes or stagnant 

 pools where they usually resort, they flock sometimes in im- 

 mense numbers to the sea shore, at which time their flesh 

 becomes rancid and disagreeable. Nature has so provided 

 for them, however, that they are able to endure the wants of 

 hunger for an amazing length of time, otherwise in their 

 long periodical journies they would be wearied and ex- 

 hausted from the length of fatigue. 



The Red-headed Crane, measures about five feet and a 

 half in height, and may be considered as the tallest of the 

 Crane-kind at present known ; from wing to wing it measures 

 six feet three inches ; the general colour cinereous ; the 

 pinion, tail, and chin are black ; the legs of a dark brown, 

 and the bill of an orange colour ; the back of the neck has a 

 red carunculated skin, without feathers, and in the middle 

 thereof a circular patch of a brown colour ; the form of the 

 body ovated and oblong ; and the tail ends abruptly in a 

 sudden recurvature. It differs entirely from the Ardea Anti- 

 gone of Linnaeus. — (From a specimen in Mr. Bullock's 

 Museum.) 



