DEMOISELLE CRANE. 



GRUS VIRGO (Linn.). 



Ardea virgo, Linn. S. N. i. p. 234 (1766). 



Grus virgo, Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 192; Dresser, vii. p. 353. 



Demoiselle de Numidie, French ; Jungfern Kranich, Ger- 

 man ; Grulla moruna, Spanish. 



This very beautiful bird is an exceedingly rare visitor 

 to our country — in fact, one of the only two recorded 

 instances of its occurrence is said to rest upon very 

 unsatisfactory evidence. I quote from the 4th edition 

 of Yarrell's ' British Birds' as to the other: — "A male 

 example of the Numidian or Demoiselle Crane was shot 

 at Deerness, East Mainland, Orkney, on May 14th, 

 1863, and a companion bird was pursued, but not 

 obtained ('Zoologist,' 1803, p. 8692). The above spe- 

 cimen subsequently became the property of Mr. W. 

 Christy Horsfall, of Horsforth-Low Hall, near Leeds." 

 I must add that the editor seems to be of opinion that 

 these birds may probably have escaped from captivity, 

 a contingency which is of course possible, but to my 

 mind most improbable. 



This Crane breeds in the great marshes of Morocco 



