birds have less variation in colour about the head; -^the
ash-grey plumage of the body is mixed with dull brown,
and the elongated plumes of the hinder parts are' Comparatively
undeveloped. They do not breed until ' their
third year. -
A male example of the Numidian or Demoiselle Crane
(Grus virgo), was shot-at Deerness, East; Mainland, Orkney,
on May 14th, 1868, and a companion bird was pursued, but
not obtained (Zool. 1868,.p. 8692}? MThe'above specimen
subsequently became the property of Mr. W. -Christy Horsfall,
of Horsforth-Low Hall, hear LeedS'Kln <;Scienee
Gossip ’ of March 1st,'1876, is'the'brie f statement pthat
another example of this species was picked up de’a'dl on- the
banks of the river Cale, near Wincant-on,*.. Somersetshire.
The Demoiselle Crane is a bird,»which :has' aCwide^range
through Africa, Asia; and Southern- Europe,- and ifchas ieen
recorded as having occurred durihgJthe 'last half century:
once in-Silesia, twice in Sweden,-nuh'd^hcpiin‘aHelag©Iand:
-it; is also a species frequently kept, in cohfinement,’ and. there
is a possibility th a t'4 ie individual in , que^Sht' may have
escaped. The late Mr.'Gould has not imcludedfit'in his
‘ Birds of Great -Britain'.’; -ranct i t ' h as: been placedr in
brackets by the;-Committee'of the .British-vOrnithologists’
Umofif entrusted with tbfiij. compilation 'ofaithelp' List ipf
British Birds.’
A specimel&f 'the Balearic "Crane
was -recorded- by Mr. B. Gray-^bis,;. f!8 'p2 ,np. * 201), who
examined the/Sg§oim'en/ii?S having’been 'shof^near Dairy, im
■Ayrshire, on the-17th September, 1871. ' This; -again,l is: a
bird often kept in confinement,-und-whicir'even^ns a - straggler
has-seldom, if indeed ever, wisifed-rthe thorth^m-'Stores
o f the Mediterranean; its home*being* Northern, and Western
Africa.. ^
Ot i s ' tarda, Linnæüs,*
THE GBEAT BUSTAKD.
Otis tarda.
QTis7^w»(BMsts«4^11r moderate, str^gh-t, depressed at^he base, the poipt.of
the>pper'*^an%ible:o^v^| Nostrils, a’W e removed from the base, lateral,
oval,' and o^en; ‘ Legs loDg, naked above the tarsal :jon!t. -Toes three; all'directed
;fohvard„sh6rt,-.united .at the basej and edged with membrane.'..-'Wingstof moderate
length, in form-fath^rpun^ed; -the t^^d-^uill-tfa^heiC-,the longest. <
:? -Jhose who are desirous of ascertaining what was known
of cQreat' Bustard in more ancient times, may consult
the | works '- of Lilian, Albertus Magnus/ Aldrovandug;,
* Syst.^Nat. Ed. ï %,\ p. 261 (1766) " t ~r°c