148 THE YOUNG NATURALIST. [August 



coleopterist who may have expected some notes of rare or at least 

 more interesting species than those mentioned, in the interests of 

 those more general readers who appreciate the quiet pleasures of a 

 country ramble in the spring time, and to whom all beetles are the 

 same. 



NOTES ON A FEW INDIAN GAME BIRDS. 



By F. E. PRESCOTT-DECIE. 



THE COMMON CRANE. 

 Grus cinerea— Buhstein. 



This, the Common Crane of Europe, is too well known and has been 

 too often figured and described, for there to be any need for me to 

 give a description here. It visits India in considerable numbers 

 during the cold weather, being particularly numerous in the Punjab 

 and the N.W. Provinces. I saw two small flocks of 8 or 10 at Katwara 

 and a fine flock of 50 or more on the edge of a large jheel near Hersole. 

 I got near enough to this last flock to have a good look at the birds, 

 but I did not get any as I had left my rifle behind and I was never 

 within gun shot. I saw flocks of cranes every day when I was near 

 the Null, but they were so extremely wild and wary, that I often could 

 not tell whether they were of this species or of the Demoiselle Crane, 

 Anthvopoides virgo, Vicillot, which is also common in India in the 

 cold weather. The few times when I could be sure of the species I 

 always found it to be Gvus cinerea. 



The Common Crane feeds chiefly in the morning and spends the* 

 day resting in some tank or river, returning to its feeding ground for a 

 short time in the afternoon. Sometimes, I know not for what reason, 

 a flock appears to spend the greater part of the day on the wing sailing 

 in great circles at such a vast height in the air that one would certainly 

 never notice them if one's attention was not attracted by their 

 occasionally uttering their " fine trumpet-like note." 



This bird is good eating and I have heard roast ' Cullum ' lauded 

 to the skies by Anglo-Indians. Dr. Jerdon, however, says that it is 

 only tolerably good, and suggests that it has acquired its reputation 

 by being confounded with the Demoiselle Crane, to which the name 



