413 
Ornithology of Cyprus. 
1001. Gnus communis Bechst. 
Large flights of the Common Crane cross over the island 
at the spring and autumn migrations and are a very 
familiar sight: the spring movement takes place from the 
middle to towards the end of March: the autumn flight from 
towards the end of August to about the middle of September. 
Large numbers sometimes alight, but the bulk pass high in 
the air. A few frequent the marshes during the cold season, 
and I have notes of having seen small flocks of from a dozen 
to twenty individuals throughout the winter months crossing 
the Mesaoria plain from the Famagusta to the Morphou 
marshes. On January 15th, 1908, I saw and unsuccessfully 
stalked two on the Acheritou reservoir. 
This species appears to have been first recorded bv Lord 
Lilford. 
1007. Grus virgo (Linn.). 
The Demoiselle Crane is a regular spring and autumn 
migrant, but has not very often been definitely recorded, 
owing no doubt to the difficulty with which these birds can 
be approached. Lord Lilford met w r ith a flock of some thirty 
near Larnaca in the middle of April; and Guillemard, who 
only found the head of a specimen on a cottage door during 
his first visit, subsequently observed its arrival in the same 
neighbourhood and obtained it at the beginning of April. 
It appears to stay only some two or three weeks. From 
observations taken at Limassol it would seem to arrive at the 
very end of March and return in mid-September and the 
beginning of October. 
1010. Otis tarda Linn. 
The casual references to Bustards which may be found in 
several accounts of Cyprus do not in general trouble to 
specify the species. Lord Lilford, however, gathered from 
what he was told in the island that the Great Bustard was a 
casual and somewdiat uncommon visitor to the Mesaoria plain. 
Guillemard received similar information, and was informed 
by Mr. King, then (in 1887) Commissioner of Nicosia, that 
