132 gkuidj:. 



covered with cinereous brown down ; they remain for some 

 days in the nest, and are fed by the parents from their own 

 crops. 



Formerly, in the times of our early English authors, 

 Cranes were not uncommon in this country, and Willoughby 

 mentions that numerous flocks, during summer, were accus- 

 tomed to visit the fens of Lincoln and Cambridgeshire ; but 

 since his time the birds appear to have gradually forsaken 

 these islands, in consequence, doubtless, of increasing cul- 

 tivation, to which their shy and lonely habits render them 

 much averse. At present, from time to time, a single 

 straggler is shot. 



The length of the Crane is five feet, and its weight about 

 ten pounds. Its beak, which measures four inches in length, 

 is greenish yellow : the legs and feet are grey ; the iris 

 red. The forehead is blackish ; the hinder part of the 

 head naked and red, the nape ash-coloured. The sides of 

 the head and neck are dull white ; the throat and fore 

 part of the neck are dark ash-colour; the breast and most 

 of the other parts of the body fine bluish grey. Many of 

 the feathers upon the wing are marked with black along 

 the shafts, especially the beautiful tertial feathers which 

 overhang the tail, and form the chief ornament of this 

 elegant bird ; the quill feathers of the wings and their 

 greater coverts are also black. 



The female differs little in plumage from the male, but 

 immature birds have their feathers clouded with dusky 

 brown. 



The egg figured 161 is that of the Crane. 



