ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 241 



taken several specimens at Port Sanilac, shot two in August, ISOiJ, which are in my 

 collection" (W. A. OUUield). 



SO-aOo-C (»(>0 ). Gnis canadensis (Linn.). Little Brown Crane. 



"Transient visitor of the Upper Peninsula" (H. Nehrling); "doubtful" (Dr. A. K. 

 Fisher). 



90-*20()-((i70). (irus mexicana (ilf«/Z.). ^Sandhill Crane. 



Decreasingly common ; Southern Michigan, March to October; more common near 

 marshes ; Judge J. H. Steere of Sault Ste. Marie reports this species from the Upper 

 Peninsula; " Keweenaw Point " (Kneeland); breeds; Dr. Atkins took a nest at Locke, 

 June 18,1879; "not rare and breeds in marshes in Monroe County" (Jerome Trom- 

 bley); "never seen now in Kalamazoo County" (Dr. M. Gibbs); " rather common at St. 

 Joseph, but rare at Albion " (O. B.Warren); nests in June on old sedges, on the ground; 

 "nests at Sanger Lake, Shiawassee County" (Dr. W. C. Brownell); eggs two, drab, 

 specked and spotted with brown. We have taken several of these birds here, old and 

 young, which are now preserved in the museum. Mr. L. W. Watkins informs me that 

 they appear often in Jackson County near small lakes, in large flocks of 100 or more, 

 in October and November, where they feed extensively on corn, shelling and eating it 

 after it is cut. A young one was reared by Mr. Watkins until two years of age. They 

 are prized by some people for table use. Dr. Brownell writes me that he has known 

 them to be so tame that he could walk to within twenty feet of them ; the male often 

 executes a queer dance, and their note is like the rapid stroke of a coarse cow bell. 



Suborder EALLI. Kails ; Gallinules ; Coots, Etc. 



Family RALLID^^. Rails ; Gallinules, Etc. * 



Feed on reptiles and aquatic animals. 



Subfamily RALLINiE. Rails. 



Genus RALLUS Linn. 



9l-208-(676). Rallus elegaiis Aud. King Rail; Red-breasted Rail; Fresh 

 Water Marsh Hen. 



Rather common ; we have it from this place and Saginaw Bay : " Hillsdale County " 

 (A. H. Boies); "abundant in marshes of Monroe County near Lake Erie" (Jerome 

 Trombley); taken at St. Clair Flats, July 20, 1893, by Robt. H. Wolcott ; " breeds at 

 Plymouth, Wayne County" (J. B. Purdy); "a rare transient in Kalamazoo County, 

 only twice captured to my knowledge " (Dr. M. Gibbs]; "rare summer resident at St. 

 Joseph, Berrien County" (O. B. Warren); breeds; nests on the ground; "nests 

 abundantly in Wayne and St. Clair counties " (B. H. Swales); eggs, six to twelve, buflf, 

 spotted with varying hues of brown ; a young bird in collection of I^^. S. Holmes, of 

 Grand Rapids, was taken by him near the mouth of the Kalamazoo River, in Allegan 

 County. Dr. W. C Brownell writes me that he took ten eggs from a nest. The old 

 bird was very fearless. He has seen the young, mere puflfs of black down, leave the 

 nest within a half hour of hatching. 



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