Family XXXIV. GRUINAE. CRANES.
GENUS I. GRUS, Briss. CRANE

Bill longer than the head, straight, rather slender, but strong, compressed, obtusely pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, a little concave at the middle, slightly declinate toward the tip, the ridge flat and rather broad as far as the middle, the sides sloping, towards the end convex; the nasal sinus narrow, bare, and extending to nearly two-thirds, the edges direct, thick; lower mandible with the angle narrow and very long, the sides perpendicular at the base, the edges thick, the tip narrow and obtuse. Nostrils sub-basal, lateral, oblong, large, pervious. Head small, compressed; neck very long and slender; body very large, but compressed. Feet very long; tibia bare to a great extent, tarsus long, stout, moderately compressed, anteriorly covered with broad decurved scutella; toes stout, scutellate, of moderate length, marginate, the first very small and elevated, the fourth webbed at the base. Claws of moderate size, strong, considerably curved, rather compressed, blunted. Plumage imbricated; upper part of head bare. Wings ample, the second, third, and fourth longest, inner secondaries and their coverts curved downwards. Tail short, rounded, of twelve broad, rounded feathers.