28 
BRITISH BIRDS® 
OF THE CRANE. 
The charaders by which this genus is diftin* 
guiilied, are a long, ftrong, ftraight, fliarp-point- 
ed bill, noftrils linear, tongue pointed, the toes 
conneded by a membrane as far as the firfl: joint, 
and the middle claw of fome of the fpecies pec- 
tinated. Their thighs are half naked, and their 
legs long, by which, without wetting their plu- 
mage, they are enabled to wade deep in the wa- 
ter, where they Hand motionlefs awaiting the ap- 
proach of the unfufpeding finny tribes, and the 
moment thefe are within reach, they flrike them 
with their bill, admirably formed for the purpofe, 
with the rapidity of a dart. Their body is flender, 
and covered with a very thin Ikin ; their wings, 
which are very large and flrong, contain twenty- four 
quills ; and their tails are fhort. They live moftly 
in lakes and fens upon water animals; they alfo oc- 
cafionally eat grain and herbage, and they build 
their nefis chiefly upon the ground. Their flefh 
is favoury. 
The Crane diflers from the Stork and the He- 
ron in the fingular conformation of the windpipe, 
which entering far into the breaft bone, (which 
has a cavity to receive it) and being thrice refledl- 
ed, goes out again at the fame hole, and fo turns 
down to the lungs. * It differs from them alfo in 
fome other particulars, both internally and exter« 
nally. 
^ Willoughby® 
