HERON. 31 



difficult to get within gunshot, for as they stand nearly five feet high 

 from the ground, they are enabled, to see any one at a great distance. 

 The sportsman, therefore, is obliged to use every art to effect his 

 purpose; sometimes under cover of a stalking horse, or other object; 

 at other times a small dog will divert their attention, which they will 

 attack without fear, while his master gets within reach of gunshot : 

 in breeding time are more bold, and will defend their young even 

 against men, so as to make it dangerous to come near their haunts. 

 The male and female said to guard the nest alternately ; the food is 

 chiefly small fish, frogs, lizards, &c. The summer residence is in 

 the more northern parts, coming there in spring, departing south- 

 ward in autumn, probably wintering about the Caspian Sea, and the 

 parts beyond ; always flying in pairs. 



A bird similar to this, if not the same, is often seen on Chinese 

 hangings ; I have likewise met with it in some private drawings of 

 Chinese birds, and is there called Tzew-ting-ha ; the Russians know 

 it by the name of Sterchi. 



4.— INDIAN CRANE. 



Ardea Antigone, Lid. Orn. ii. 674. Lin. i. 235. Gm. Lin. i. 622. 

 Grus orientalis Indica, Bris. v. 378. Id. 8vo. ii. 308. Klein, 121. V. Gerin. iv. t. 417. 

 Indian Crane, Gen. Syn. v. 38. Id. Sup. 232. Id. Sup. ii. 298. Ed%v. pi. 45. Penn. 

 Hind. ii. 158. 



THIS is also a large Species, standing five feet high. Bill 

 greenish yellow, dusky at the tip, nostrils pervious ; irides bright 

 reddish hazel ; crown of the head bare and white ; on each side of 

 the head, about the ears, a bare white spot; the rest of the head, and 

 a small part of the neck, covered only with a fine red skin ; plumage 

 in general ash-colour, paler about the neck ; the quills black ; se- 

 condaries and tail ash-colour; those nearest the body pointed at the 

 ends, longer than the quills, and hang over them; the legs, and 

 bare space above the knees, are red ; claws white ; the middle and 

 outer toe connected by a membrane as far as the first joint. 



