THE FLIGHT OF THE CRANE. 81 
sional and very rare visitor,' as Yarrell calls it, was taken in 
Aberdeenshire a few years ago ; it was first observed about 
the end of May, in a field about eight miles up the river 
Dee, where it remained several days before it was shot ; 
it was a yomig male. On the Continent, the Cranes gene- 
rally arrive in flocks about the end of spring ; in their 
migrations they fly high, being arranged in lines or tri- ' 
angles. In the temperate regions they merely alight to 
feed and* rest for a short time, proceeding to the more 
northern regions to breed. They nestle in marshy places, 
laying two eggs of a greenish grey colour, with brown 
spots. These birds are remarkably swift runners, but rise 
on the wing with difficulty. 
In Eichardson's * Travels in the Arctic Regions,' we have 
a graphic picture of the Crane's method of flight : — 
The migration of birds has long excited the serious attention of 
ornithologists. * The Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their 
coming.' (Jer. viii. 7.) The migration and periodical flight of birds, 
instinctive as they must certainly be considered, are yet peculiarly de- 
monstrative of the providential superintendence of the Creator. The 
natural history of the Crane furnishes striking evidence of this asser- 
tion. Immediately after landing, we were surprised and delighted with 
a flight of birds, which we discerned at first like a thick dark speck 
in the heavens, which gradually enlarged as it approaclied, and dis- 
covered at length the array and order of their flight. They wheeled 
along their airy movements in the form of a semi-circle, enclosing 
within itself numbers of smaller circles; the component parts of 
which were constantly shifting their relative positions, advancing to 
the front as if by a sudden impulse, then falling back to the rear, 
alternately occupying and giving place to others. The lively com- 
petition was constantly maintained; each of them every instant 
passing or passed by his fellow. All was grace and harmony, not 
one discordant movement throughout the whole array ; everything 
appeared as if regulated by a preconcerted plan, in which every 
member understood and performed his part with freedom and pre- 
cision, alike the subordinates and the superiors. They were too 
high in the air for us to hear any noise from the steerage of their 
wings, or to know what species of birds they were ; but we judged 
them to be Cranes. They held on their steady flight from north 
to south, following the course of the river as far as the eye could 
accompany them. 
Gould says that * flocks of these birds are seen at stated 
times in France and Germany, passing northwards and 
p 
