530 



SIBERIAN CRANE. 



Height four feet six inches : the beak large 

 and red : the face naked beyond the eyes, papil- 

 lated, and of a red colour : irides white : the ten 

 first greater quills and their coverts deep black ; 

 the rest of the plumage snowy white: the tail 

 nearly even, consisting of twelve feathers : legs 

 red. The young of the first year are entirely of an 

 ochraceous hue, with the face, beak, and legs, 

 greenish brown : the old have the hind part of the 

 neck yellowish. 



This species inhabits the great marshes and 

 lakes of Siberia : it constructs its nest in almost 

 inaccessible situations, amongst the reeds ; it is 

 constructed of herbs and grass : the female lays 

 two ash-coloured eggs, of the size of those of a 

 Goose : they are spotted with brown. During the 

 period of incubation these birds are very bold, and 

 will attack any person that approaches their haunts :. 

 both sexes are said to watch the nest alternately : 

 at other times they are very shy, and immediately 

 upon any one appearing in sight they set up a 

 loud scream, and fly off. They feed upon frogs, 

 small fish, lizards, and such like, and breed in the 

 northern parts : they are supposed to winter about 

 the Caspian Sea, as they retire southward in the 

 autumn. 



