Resistivity (15 - 710 K), magnetization (80 - 723 K), and calorimetric (200 - 623 K) measurements on have shown evidence for the formation of Jahn - Teller (JT) polarons below . Above 560 K, activated conduction with is observed and shows Curie - Weiss behaviour. Over the temperature range 270 - 340 K, the conductivity follows Mott's VRH model and provides evidence of the formation of spin clusters. Calorimetric study shows phase transitions at , 345 K and 545 K. The role of the JT polaron in determining the electronic and magnetic properties above is discussed.