LECTUEE.VI. 225 



feeds, at least principally, on grain of different 

 kinds*. The largest bird of the Heron tribe is 

 the East Indian species called the Hargil, or 

 Giant-Crane, or Giant-Heron ; chiefly seen in 

 Bengal. It is of a blackish colour, with a naked 

 yellowish neck, an extremely large beak, and a 

 long, pendent craw or crop. On opening one of 

 these birds, says an eminent traveller, was found 

 a land-tortoise ten inches long in its craw, and a 

 large black cat in its stomach. It is said to be 

 easily tamed, and rendered domestic ; in which 

 state it has been permitted to fly about at plea- 

 sure in the neighbourhood, when it has been ob- 



■r 



served to sit on the tallest trees, and at the dis- 

 tance of two or three miles could spy the dinner 

 carrying along the court-yard j and would then 

 dart from its station, and soon join the company, 

 and has been known to snatch up a whole fowl 

 from the dish, and swallow it in an instant : tb^ 

 traveller adds, that the bone of a shin of beef, 

 being broken asunder, served it but for two mouth- 



* The Indian Crane or Ardea Antigone of Linnaeus, is nearly- 

 allied in general appearance to the Crane, but differs in having a 

 red bare collar round the neck : it is well figured in the works of 

 Edwards. 



LECT. I. Q 



