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VERTEBRATA. 
THE NUMIDIAN CRANE. 
course of tlieir passage. Subject to less excitement, they pass along silently and at a great elevation 
in fine weather, but lower their flight, and become clamorous at the approach, or during the 
existence, of a storm. Milton, describing these migrations, says : 
" Part loosely wing the region, part, more wise, Plying, and over lands with mutual wing. 
In common, ranged in figure wedge their way, Easing their flight; so steers the prudent Crane 
Intelligent of seasons, and set forth Her annual voyage, borne on winds the air 
Their aery caravan, high over seas Flotes, as they pass, fann'd with unnumber'd plumes.' 
Genus GRUS : Gr.us. — The Common Crane of Europe, G. cinerea, is four feet long ; bluish- 
ash above ; beneath ash-gray. It migrates to the north of Europe and Siberia in spring, remains 
there and breeds in summer, and in the antumn returns to Africa and Southern Asia tor the winter. 
It feeds on worms, insects, reptiles, mollusca, and sometimes on grain. Its nest is usually made 
among reeds and tall herbage, in the marshes which it frequents ; it, however, occasionally builds- 
on ruined edifices. In its migrations it flies, like wild geese and swans, in the form of a Avedge 
frequently uttering a loud cry. 
The American Crane, G. Americana, is four feet six inches long ; crested ; color bluish-ash ; 
feeds on crabs, shell-fish, eels, and various kinds of fruit. It is stationary from the Carolinas 
southward ; in summer it migrates as far north as New Jersey. It is often called Wliooping Crane 
on account of its wild, sonorous cry, which has been compared to the whoop of savages when rush- 
ing to battle. JSTuttall says : " In February, and in the early part of the following month, I heard 
their clamorous cries nearly every morning around the enswamped ponds of West Florida, and 
throughout Georgia, so that many individuals probably pass either the winter or the whole year, 
in the southern extremity of the Union. It is impossible to describe the clamor of one of these 
roosting flocks, which they begin usually to utter about sunrise. Like the howling monkeys of 
South America, a single individual seemed at first as if haranguing, or calling out to the assembled 
company, and after uttering a round number of discordant, sonorous, and braying tones, the address 
seemed as if received with becoming applause, and was seconded with trumpeting hurrahs." 
The SAND-HiLii Crane, G. Canadensis, is forty-eight inches long ; color yellowish -gray ; found 
from Mexico to the Arctic Sea. It is called the Broivn Crane and also the Canada Crane. 
Cassin mentions a species in New Mexico, G.fraterculus. 
Genus ANTHROPOIDES : Anthropoides.—T\\\?, includes the Numidian Crane, A. virgo — 
called Demoiselle by the French — three feet long ; general color slaty-gray ; migratory ; food, 
grain, seeds, small fishes, mollusca, and insects. Africa appears to be its home, but it is found in 
parts of Asia, and is occasionally seen in Southern Europe. 
