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The Greater Indian Crane. 
HPHIS is a very large and ftately Bird, I believe bigger than the common Crane, 
-*• and hath a longer Bill in proportion ; it walks with a very grave and folemn 
Air; its Height, as it hands or walks, without extending the Neck greatly, is 
about five Feet. Mr. Willoughby has deferibed an Indian Crane which feems to be 
much lefs than this, and a quite different Bird; fo I thought the Greater Indian 
Crane might be a Name proper enough for this Bird; it fed on Barley and other 
Grain, but by reafon of the Length and Sharpnefs of the Bill, it could not gather 
the Grain into its Mouth without jerking back its Head pretty quick, and catching 
the Grain into its Mouth after it had taken it in the Point of its Bill ; the Bill is 
long and pretty thick toward the Head, ending in a fharp Point, of a greenifh 
Yellow-colour, dufky at the Tip, having on each Side an oblong Noftril pretty 
near the Middle, though nearer the Head than the Point ; the Eyes are of a bright 
hazel or redifh Colour; the Head, and a fmall Part of the Neck, are covered with 
a bare Skin, of a fine red Colour; about the Bafe of the Bill, under the Chin, and 
all round the beginning of the Neck, or hinder Part of the Head, it is thin fet 
with fine black Hair like Feathers, a fmall Space of the Neck remaining quite bare 
below it; the Crown of the Head, and two Spots by the Ears are White, and 
bare of Feathers; the Neck is very long, covered in the upper Part with white 
Feathers, which gradually become Afh-colour towards its Bottom; the Neck-fea¬ 
thers are not fo long and loofe as in Herons ; the whole Body, Wings and Tail, 
except the greater or outer Quills of the Wings, are Afh-colour, fomething lighter 
on the Bread: than on the Back and Wings; the Quills are Black, and extend thern- 
felves, when the Wings are clofed, of almoff equal Length with the Tail; the Legs 
are very long and bare of Feathers for a good Space above the Knees ; it hath three 
Toes handing forward, of a moderate Length, and a fmall back Toe ; both Legs 
and Feet are of a red Colour like thofe of Pigeons, the Claws black. 
This Bird I drew from the Life at Sir Charles Wagers., who afterwards prefented 
it to Dr. Mead. It was brought from the Eajl Indies , 
N TM 
