oS) 
THE COMMON CRANE. 2 
sun-rise and 9 A.M., when it is usually feeding inland. Where no 
large river invites them, they may be met with in large tanks 
and jhils, but this is, I think, the exception in their case and 
that of the Demoiselle Crane. Per contra, the White Crane, as 
far as I have observed, frequents jhils alone, and the Sarus pre- 
fers these to rivers. 
They feed regularly in the early mornings, chiefly in grain 
fields, in this country—wheat, gram, pulse, and rice being those 
most resorted to; but they may often be seen feeding at the 
waters’ edge during the day, and both during the day and _ night 
ay not unfrequently pay one or two other short visits to the 
elds. 
They sleep on one leg,* with the neck and head nestled into 
the feathers of the back, are pretty quiet during the heat of the 
day, when most of them are asleep, and very noisy during the 
night, and at other times also when flying. 
Often, especially in the afternoon, they collect together in 
great numbers on one of those vast, white, sandy flats which 
abound in the beds of the Jumna, Ganges, and other large 
rivers in Northern India, and there stalk about majestically, 
apparently taking an airing. They certainly are not feeding, 
though now and then to aid digestion they pick up small 
pebbles, and beyond some crusty individual, dealing an ill-na- 
tured poke with his strong bill at some passer-by who inconti- 
nently trots off, with comical haste, with wings half extended, 
trumpeting his disgust at such bad manners, there is certainly 
little play. Every now and then a small party, who perhaps have 
been lately picking up minute shells or insects on the sand, 
march down to the water side to drink, lifting their heads very 
high after two or three gulps, much like Geese. 
Further south more than twenty are, I believe, rarely seen 
together ; but in the Upper Provinces, flocks of from one to three 
* The story of Frederic the Great’s cook really deserves to be remembered. This 
cook rejoiced ina most exigeant mistress, who would never be satisfied unless she had 
some portion of every dish sent up to the king. One day the piece de resistance 
happened to be a Crane, and the cook abstracting one leg dished up the remainder. 
By chance the king noticed the mutilation. Sending for the cook he said. ‘‘ Rascal, 
is it not sufficient that you devour everything that leaves my table? nay—forsooth, 
you must make a meal off the dishes before they leave the kitchen. What has 
become of the other leg of that Crane?’ ‘‘ Other leg,” replied the cook; ‘‘why, 
everyone knows that Cranes never Zave more than one leg.” ‘‘ Do you dare to trifle 
with me?” said the king ; ‘‘here bring him along,” and Frederic stalked out of the 
window to the adjoining aviary in which several tame Cranes were confined. Now 
it chanced that this was but little after midday, the Cranes had been fully fed, and 
they stood asleep in a row, each showing only a single leg. ‘‘* Thanks be to 
the saints,” exclaimed the cook unctuously, ‘‘ who thus vindicate the right and 
protect the poor and slandered ; Your Majesty can now see for yourself that it is 
even as I said.” The king gave an angry stamp, the Cranes awoke with a start, 
and down came the second leg of each. ‘‘ How now thou thief about Cranes hav- 
ing only one leg?” roared the king. “Sire,” said the cook, ‘‘ you are all powerful ; 
doubtless had you stamped like that, when the roast Crane came on table, even 
that dead bird would have put out a second leg to gratify Your Majesty.” WW. B.— 
This story has been told in a variety of ways, about a number of different persons, 
but the above version is quite as authentic as any other ! 
