38 HERON. 



The fportfman finds, in courfe, much difficulty in approaching them 

 within gunfliot ; for, as they ftand near five feet high from the 

 ground, they are enabled to efpy him at a great diftance. Some- 

 times indeed he approaches them under cover of a ftalking-, 

 horfe, or other object; at other times a fmall dog will divert their 

 attention, as they will without fear attack the dog, while his 

 matter gets within reach. In breeding-time, however, they are 

 more bold, as they will defend their young even againft men, fo 

 as to make it dangerous to come near their haunts. The male 

 and female faid to guard the neft alternate. 



The more northern parts are thofe of the fummer refidence, 

 and to which they come in fpring; departing fouth in au- 

 tumn, probably winter about the Cajpian Sea, and parts beyond. 

 Fly always in pairs *. A bird fimilar to this, if not the fame, 

 we often fee depicted in Chineje hangings. I rather think this, as 

 I have more than once met with it in fome drawings of Chineje 

 birds. 



The food is frogs, fmall fifh, lizards, and fuch-like. The 

 Ruffians know it by the name of Sterchi; and if the bird hinted 

 at as Chineje be the fame, it is called by them Tzew-ting-ha. 



i Ardea Antigone, Lin. Syfi . !. p. 235.6. 



INDIAN La Grue des Indes Orientales, Brif. Orn. v. p. 378. 7. 



CRANE. Greater Indian Crane, Edw. 45. 



Description. '"PHIS is a larger bird than the common Crane, being in height 



five feet. The bill is of a greenifh vellow, -dufky at the tip : 



irides of a bright reddifh hazel : crown of the head bare and 



* Decouv. Rufl.ii. p. 145. 



white i 



