CRANE. 
181 
bably accounts for the bird’s preference for the north or shady 
side of the hills. 
Unlike the Herons, the Crane has a small neck; consequently 
it is necessary to slit the skin in order to clean the skull. 
I append a description, not being able to find a similar one 
elsewhere : — 
Length from middle' claw to tip of hill. 
4 feet 8 inches. 
TiOngth from tail to tip of hill. 
3 ,, 8 ,, 
Expanse of wings, .... 
6 „ 7 „ 
Wings, from carpal joint to tip, . 
1 „ 9 ,, 
r>ill, from front to tip, .... 
• 9 ,, 3g ,, 
Bill to gape, 
0 „ 4i „ 
Tarsus, ...... 
0 „ 9 „ 
]\Iiddle toe and its claw. 
• 9 ,, 3g ,, 
Sex, male. 
Bill, horn-colour, tinged with green, slightly darker along 
the ridge, and palest at the tip. (After drying, the wheel bill 
becomes dark reddish brown.) 
Iris, rich golden yellow, gradually becoming darker towards 
the pupil. 
Head and Neck . — Crown and fore part of the head, dull crim- 
son, with scanty bristle-like feathers of very dark bluish grey ; 
feathers upon the lore similar in appearance, but closely set ; 
from the eye to the occiput an elongated, patch of dirty white, 
the feathers of the occiput itself somewhat lengthened and 
pointed, dusky bluish grey, with their concealed portion dirty 
white; chin, throat, and upper two-thirds of front of neck 
dull lead-grey, the shafts of most of the feathers slightly darker; 
back of neck rather paler than the front, and very obscurely 
mottled with light brown; upon the sides of the neck the colours 
are still paler ; lower third of front of neck greyish brown, the 
shaft lines of the feathers considerably darker. 
Up'per Surface of Body . — Upper scapulars and upper half of 
back dull lead-grey, each feather with a darker shaft and 
brownish tip ; lower scapulars similar in colour, but darker, 
especially towards the tips ; lower half of the back with less 
brown than the upper half ; upper tail coverts very dark bluish 
grey at the tips, their concealed portion brownish grey. 
