PREFACE. 
The chief object of the present work is to introduce to the public a beautiful series of water-colour drawings, 
taken from birds living in the Zoological Garden of Amsterdam in the year 1872. These drawings were made by the 
well-known German artist, Heinrich Leutemann, under tbe direct supervision of the late Dr. G. F. Westerman, Director and 
Founder of the Zoological Society of Amsterdam. The Cranes were always special favourites of Westerman’s, and amongst 
the birds which the Amsterdam Garden exhibited during his Directorship, the series of Cranes was usually as nearly as 
possible complete. They were always kept in the most perfect condition by their faithful keeper Jan Peels. Leutemann's 
drawings, which included figures of fifteen species, all of which had been taken from life, except that of Gnis mon(tchti.s 
which has never been exhibited alive in Amsterdam, were carefully preserved by Westerman, and only occasionally shown 
to a select few of his friends. 
A few months before his death Westerman came to talk to me about these drawings, saying it had always been 
his wish to publish them along with a complete history of the Cranes, but that he had never been able to execute this 
plan. He told me of his intention to leave me the drawings at his death, and expressed his desire that I should accom¬ 
plish what he had failed to do. On the 9th of May 1890 Westerman died, and the drawings came into my posse.ssion. My 
first object in publishing the present work is, accordingly, to fulfil the last wishes of my old and much valued friend. As 
fifteen species only had been drawn by Leutemann, I have completed the series by a figure of Grtis nigj'icollis^ from a 
specimen kindly lent to me for that purpose by Dr. Strauch, the lately deceased Director of the Museum of the Academic 
Royale des Sciences of St. Petersburg. I have also thought it would be interesting to figure jmung Cranes of different 
species in down, and in immature dress, and the eggs of such of those that I could get access to. These additional 
plates have all been executed by Mr, Keulemans who has likewise drawn the whole of the plates on the stones. 
For assisting me in various ways in the accomplishment of this work I wish hereby to express my best thanks to 
Dr. P. L. Sclater, Seci'etary of the Zoological Society of London, to Dr. Jentink, Director of the Natural History Mu¬ 
seum of Leiden, to Dr. Bowdler Sharpe of the British Museum, to Dr. Oustalet of the Museum d’Histoire Naturelle of 
Paris, to Dr. Reichenow of the Berlin Natural History^ Museum, to the Academic Royale des Sciences of St. Petersburg, 
and to many other persons and Institutions who have given me most kind aid and advice. 
’s Graveland, June 1896. 
F. E. BLAAUW. 
