358 



*Tetrao Canadensis Linn. Spruce Grouse. 



Common on the bead waters of Wolf River and vicinity of Lake Superior. 



*Tetrao Cupido, Linn. Prairie Hen. 



Greatly abundant. Two sportsmen, with one dog, generally bag from fifty to 

 eighty in a day. We challenge tlie world for finer sporting grounds than the prai- 

 ries of Wisconsin furnish during August, September and October. 



*Tetrao PnAsiANELLis. Linn. Sharp-tailed Grouse. 



Formerly quite common near Racine — now seldom met with. Abundant in all 

 the north-western counties. 



*Laqopus Saliceti, Swains. Willow Grouse. 



In December, 1843, two specimens were caught in a trap ten miles from Racine. 

 Nest in the tangle of evergreen swamps of the north-western parts of the State. — 

 Not numerous. 



RALLID^, (6 species.) 



*Gallinula Galeata, Lich. Florida Gallinule. 



Abundant as far north as Lake Winnebago, latitude 44°" 



*FuLiCA Americana, Gniel. American Coot. 

 Common in all large marshes. 



*Rallus Elegans, Aud. Meadow Hen. 



Abundant, nest in the praii ie alewn. * 



*Rallus Virginianus, Linn. Mud Hen. 

 Common. 



*Ortygometra Carolina, Linn. Sora Rail. 



Greatly abundant spring aud fall ; a few remain during summer to nest. 



*Ortygometra Noveboracensis, Lath. New York Rail. 



By no means uncommon. The young of this and the preceding three species of 

 Rail, are fully fledged by the 15th of August. 



GRUID^, (10 species.) 



Grus Ameircana, Forster. American Crane. 



A few white sand-hill cranes are occasionally seen in the western part of the State, 

 near the Mississippi, but never approach the Lake shores, where the following spe- 

 cies is common. It would appear that the white is a more southern species than the 

 brown. 



*Grus Canadensis, Temm. Brown Sand-hill Crane. 



Found on all our large prairies. . Although we have seen large flights of these 

 birds, we never saw, or heard of, a white individual within one hundred miles of 

 Lake Michigan. A pair has nested regularly for fifteen years in a swamp nine miles 

 from Racine, (we have noticed them ourselves regularly for the last seven years,) 

 and they still continue in color unchanged. The locality of this nest is in a few tus- 

 socks of grass, in the midst of an almost impenetrable swamp, the nest is composed 

 of ciiarse grass, built up in a conical form eighteen inches or two feet high, so sit;ia- 

 ted t'.hat when the parent bird sits upon, or rather astride of this pyramidal nest, her 

 feet hang down on either side into the water. The old nest is regularly repaired 

 every spring. 



