28 



NUMIDIAN CRANE. 



There is something so characteristic in the Cranes 

 as a genus, that I cannot separate this bird from its 

 congeners. It differs, however, from the typical species 

 in having the head entirely covered with feathers, and 

 in the position of the nostrils,— structural differences, 

 which, I admit, would fully justify its separation, had 

 not these minor differences become lost in the major 

 affinities. In the days of Brisson a much wider margin 

 was left in generic characters than is permitted in these 

 present times, and although I am fully aware of the 

 great value of precision in definition, I think we ought, 

 ' at the same time, to be very careful not to make 

 specific distinctions the ground of our increasing the 

 number of genera; and therefore I prefer including 

 the present aberrant form of Crane in the genus" where 

 it was placed by all authors from the time of Brisson 

 to that of Vieillot, in 1816, who separated it as the 

 sole representative of his new genus Aiithropoides. He 

 was not, however, followed by Temminck, Keyserling 

 and Blasius, or Schlegel. 



The Numidian Crane is found in the south of 

 Russia, in Greece, Turkey, and occasionally in Dalmatia, 

 Switzerland, the south of France, and Heligoland. It 

 is also found in various parts of Africa. Mr. Salvin, 

 ("Ibis," p. 355,) notices having seen small flocks in 

 the eastern parts of the marsh of Zana. Mr. Tristram 

 also met with it in the north, ("Ibis," vol. ii, p. 77,) 

 and Captain Loche records its occurrence in the south 

 of Algeria. Dr. Leith Adams informs me that it has 

 "several times been shot in Malta during the cold 

 weather. It is not rare in Turkey, plentiful in Persia, 

 and eastward inhabits the continent of India, where it 

 is well known by the name of Kulm and Kai Kara, 

 the latter being an imitation of its cry. This handsome 



