160 
NATURAL HISTOSV 
CRANE. 
The Crane is a tall, slender bird, with a 
long neck and long legs. The top of he 
head is covered with black bristles, and the 
back of it is bald and red, which autkwnty 
distinguish it from the stork, to which It is 
nearly allied in size and figure. Its plumage 
is of an ash colour, and there are two laige 
tufts of feathers, that spring from the pimon 
of each wing. These birds generally fly 
flocks, and while a part feed, the rest stand 
like sentinels upon duty. As they are b d 
of passage, they are often seen to depart anh 
return regularly at those seasons when the# 
provision invites or repels them. In the 
journeys it is amazing to conceive J 
heights to which they ascend when they W 
Their note is the loudest of all birds ; ail 
often heard in the clouds, when the Dim 
itself has entirely disappeared. 
