RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS 



79 



205. Grus canadensis (Linn.). LITTLE BROWN CRANE. 



Like mexicana, but smaller. Length : o5, wing 17-50-20.00, bill 3.04- 

 4.20, tarsus (5.70-8.44. 



Distribution. Northern North America, breeding from Hudson Bay 

 and the arctic coast to Alaska ; south in winter through the interior 

 United States to Mexico ; west to Colorado and British Columbia. 



206. Grus mexicana (Mull.). SANDHILL CRANE. 



Crown and lores naked except for scattered black bristles ; cheeks and 

 jaw well feathered. Adults : whole plumage slaty gray 

 or light brownish, w r ings darker; cheeks and throat 

 lighter and sometimes whitish. Young : head entirely 

 feathered ; plumage rusty brown. Length : 40-48, wing 

 21.00-22.50, bill 5.15-6.00, tarsus 9.90-10.65. 



Distribution. From southern Canada south to cen- 

 tral Mexico and Florida; breeding from Canada to 

 Arizona. Rare east except in Georgia and Florida. 



Nest. A wide platform of flags and rushes in a 

 marsh. Eggs : 2, olive buff, spotted with brown. 



On the big unfenced prairies and the treeless 

 expanse of marsh where there is nothing to hide 

 a lurking foe, you find the sandhill cranes, some- 

 times in small migrating flocks but usually in 

 pairs, stalking about in dignified but ever watch- 

 ful manner, stretching up to nearly a man's 

 height to survey the surrounding country, then 

 stooping to probe the earth for worms, catch a 

 distant grasshopper, or spear a luckless frog or 

 minnow. Let an enemy appear in the distance, 

 and the long necks are up, and one of the most 

 powerful, far-reaching of bird-notes rings out with its alarm chal- 

 lenge, a prolonged bugle-like cry, deeper and heavier than the 

 loon's, and often heard a mile away. With a quick run the splendid 

 birds mount on the wing, the bugle-notes resounding rhythmically 

 with only the space of an inspiration between as they fly; and 

 though their calls mellow in the distance, the cranes vanish as 

 specks in the air before the sound of their magnificent voices is en- 

 tirely lost. VERNON BAILEY. 



FAMILY RALLIDJE : RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



1. Forehead entirely feathered down to base of bill. 



2. Bill long and slender, as long as or longer than tarsus . Rallus, p. 80. 



2'. Bill short and stout, about two thirds the length of tarsus. 



Porzana, p. 81. 

 1'. Forehead covered by naked shield at base of bill. 



2. Toes deeply lobed along sides Fulica, p. 83. 



2'. Toes slender, without lobes Gallinula, p. 82. 



Fig. 87. 



