A 
w 
NEW YORK, AND ROCHESTER, N. Y„ AUG. 9, 1873. 
( PRICK SIX CENT? SI 
l $'^.SO PER YEAR. Q 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year 1873, by D. D. T. Mookk, in tie iici of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.] 
tion of crane is perversely misappropriated 
in many instances, so that it is difficult to 
understand sometimes what kind of bird is 
meant when the name is used. Thus in the 
Scottish highlands, and again in Ireland, the 
heron is popularly so denominated ; in North 
and Smth America, Australia, and New 
Zealand, the white egret-herons are styled 
cranes (what are currently and somewhat, 
contemptuously known as “paddy birds” in 
India) ; and the great adjutant-stork is fre¬ 
quently termed “ the gigantic crane” by 
authors who should know better than to 
perpetuate such' a misnomer. Again, in 
North America, the White and Sand-hill 
Cranes of that continent are sometimes re¬ 
spectfully miscalled the the White and Sand¬ 
hill Storks ; and in Australia the only Crane 
of the country is chief y known as the “ native 
companion.” The name Crane, like its equiv¬ 
alent in many languages, derives obviously 
from the. loud trumpeting cries for which the 
birds of this group are particularly noted. 
When uttering their loud cries while on the 
ground, and commonly when not seeking for 
food, the Cranes carry t hemselves remarkably 
erect, with the head loftily and proudly 
raised, and the vertebral column nearly ver¬ 
tical. The beak, when they thus majestically 
strut, or rather when they stride defiantly, 
is pointed downward. In the act of trum¬ 
peting the neck, at full sfcietch, is thrown 
backwards, and the. gaping mandibles point 
to the sky. They have a peculiar mode of 
nodding the head and expanding the wings 
widely when at play, meanwhile dancing 
about in a graceful manner. In defense of 
their young they are fierce and aggressive, 
and strike both with beak and wings, quite 
formidably with the former, while the inner 
toe is furnished with a sharp hooked claw, 
with which a wounded bird cun inflict severe 
tearing scratches, and must therefore he ap¬ 
proached with caution ; the same, of course, 
when attempting to catch hold of one. They 
fight or defend themselves alike with beak, 
wings, and feet, and in valorous style, which 
was surely known to him of old who sang of 
their reputed combats with the pygmies. 
“We have known instances,V remark* Sir J. 
RiCllARDBOW, writing of the American White 
Crane (G. A mcrlraua), “of the wounded 
bird putting the fowler to flight, and fairly 
driving him oil - the field ;” and of the same 
species Mr. H. Yoiii.e Hind states that “ it is 
a dangerous antagonist when wounded, strik¬ 
ing with unerring aim and with great force 
with its powerful hill. When the bird is 
wounded, the best way to avoid its attacks is 
to present the muzzle of the gun as it ap¬ 
proaches ; it will fix its bill in. the barrel, and 
may then be destroyed without danger. In¬ 
stances have been known of this bird driving 
his b ( ill deep into the bowels of a hunter when 
not successful in warding off its blow.” Like 
many other birds, they are clamorously noisy 
before rain, and in the early morning and 
evening. In general, it may be asserted of 
them that the species inhabiting the Northern 
THE WHITE-NAPED CRANE OF JAPAN 
This Crane, Gruff leucnuchen , has been 
imported and is, now to be found in the 
Zoological Gardens of London. Wo know 
little of it—have never, seen it described but 
we give 1 the illustration that our readers may 
contrast it with our American Sand-hill 
Crane (G. Meximnct) and the American White 
Crane, (Q, Ainei icann) with which some of 
these may he familiar. Tips is an interesting 
family of birds about whose habits far too 
little is known in the country. 
The Cranes constitute an exceedingly well 
characterized family of birds—so much so 
that nobody who properly recognizes any 
one of them asbeing rightfully so designated, 
can possibly mistake a member of the group 
for any other sort of bird. Yet the appello- 
§ 
If- - 
