THE GIGANTIC CRANE. 123 



Description Utility. 



THE GIGANTIC CRANE. 



THIS is a very large species ; measuring, from 

 tip to tip of the wings, nearly fifteen feet. The 

 bill is of a vast size, nearly triangular, and six- 

 teen inches round at the base. The head and 

 neck are naked, except a few straggling curled 

 hairs. The feathers of the back and wings are 

 of a bluish ash-colour, and very stout; those of 

 the breast are long. The craw hangs down the 

 fore part of the neck like a pouch. The belly is 

 covered with a dirty-white down ; and the upper 

 part of the back and shoulders aa*e surrounded 

 with the same. The legs and half the thighs 

 are naked ; and the naked parts are full three 

 feet in length. 



This bird is an inhabitant of Bengal and Cal- 

 cutta, and is sometimes found on the coast of 

 Guinea. It arrives in the internal parts of Ben- 

 gal before the period of the rains, and retires as 

 soon as the dry season commences. Its aspect 

 is filthy and disgusting, yet it is one of the most 

 useful birds of these countries, in clearing them 

 of snakes and noxious reptiles and insects. It 

 seems to finish the work begun by the jackal and 

 vulture: they clearing away the flesh of animals, 

 ^ind these birds removing the bones by swallow- 

 ing them entire. They sometimes feed on fish : 

 and one of them will generally devour as much 

 as would serve four men. On opening the body 



" 



