34 
plentiful in all the swamps of the Herbert district in Queensland, and states that it occurs on the Norman River, near 
Rockingham Bay, near Port Denison, in the Wide Bay district, in the Rich and Clar River districts of New South 
Wales, in the interior of Victoria and in South Australia. 
The ‘Native Companion’, as this Crane is called in Australia, is not a migratory bird in the true sense of the 
word, and is found breeding in all the above-named districts in suitable places, remaining there nearly all the year 
round. The breeding season begins, according to North, in September. The nest is placed in a slight depression of the 
soil on the bare plains; but occasionally the low swampy lands in the vicinity of the coast are resorted to for that pur¬ 
pose. I can find no information about the time of incubation nor about the behaviour of the parents when the chicks 
have come out, but there is no reason to believe that the species differs in these respects from other Cranes. 
Gould saw these Cranes in pairs in suitable localities all the year round, but also noticed them in flocks of from 
thirty to fort)^ in number. It is probable that these flocks consist of birds driven away from their usual haunts after the 
breeding season by drought, which in Australia forces many birds that do not migrate in ordinary years, to go away 
from the interior. It is also possible that they may consist of immature birds, which at the beginning of the breeding 
season following the one in which they are born, are driven away by their parents, and form small flocks which wander 
about the country until the birds pair and settle down somewhere else to breed. 
The flight of this Crane, when once on the wing, is very powerful. On this subject Gould writes: — “When 
“near the ground the action of the wings is very laboured: but when soaring in a series of circles at such a height in 
“the air as to be almost impeixeptible to human vision, it appears to be altogether as easy and graceful; it is while 
“performing these gyrations that it frequently utters its hoarse, croaking cry.” 
Its food consists of insects, lizards, bulbous roots and various other vegetable substance in search of which it 
tears up the earth with great facility with its powerful bill. 
The Zoological Garden of Amsterdam received its first Crane of this species in 1852 and the Zoological Society 
of London in 1857. Since that time Au.stralian Cranes have almost without interruption been exhibited in both places, 
and not only in these, but in most of the other Zoological Gardens of the Continent. 
In private collections also they are by no means rare. The birds become exceedingly tame, and I remember a 
beautiful bird of this species in Lord Lifford’s possession, which, having the full power of its wings, gave the rare sight 
of a Crane on the wing in close proximity, as it soared round over the part of the park devoted to the Crane collection. 
I have also seen another bird of this species in captivity, which, being unable to flj', greeted its master with the most 
wonderful dances, now and then jumping high up in the air all the time circling round its friend in a most excited wa)’'. 
Like many Australian birds this Crane thrives well in Europe and does not fear the cold of our winters, but I 
know no instance of its having bred in captivity. 
The trachea of this species resembles that of Grus anfigo?ie. 
The .specimen figured is in the Museum of the Zoological Society of Amsterdam. 
Trachea of Grus australasiana. 
