134 HISTORY OF THE 



stretch of 

 Length. iving. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 41.50 75.00 19.50 7.75 8.50 4.40 



Female... 37.50 73.50 18.00 6.50 7.50 3.80 



This small species has until of late been classed with G. mex- 

 icana, and supposed to be an immature bird; but its smaller size, 

 and the failure to find any indications of intergradations, to- 

 gether with its marked difference in distribution, entitle it to rank 

 as a valid species. In habits it is not noticeably different. 



Mr. Nelson, in his report, "Natural Historical Collections in 

 Alaska," between the years 1877 and 1881, says the birds ar- 

 rive in the Territory, as a rule, from the 10th to the 15th of May; 

 mate and commence laying the last of the month. Eggs two; 

 and describes their nests and eggs as follows: "The site for 

 the nest is usually on the grassy flats, where the dryer portions, 

 or the slight knolls, afford them suitable places. The spot 

 usually has an unobstructed view on all sides, and it is common 

 to see the female's long neck raised suspiciously at the appear- 

 ance in the distance of anything unusual. . . . The nest 

 is frequently a mere hollow in the ground and is commonly 

 lined with more or less coarse grass stems and straws. In one 

 instance a nest was found on a bare flat, and was lined M^ith a 

 layer of straws an inch deep, all of which must have been 

 brought for some yards; this is unusual, however. The eggs 

 vary in ground color from pale greenish clay color to buflfy 

 brown or warm brownish, and the entire surface is irregularly 

 marked with spots and blotches of chocolate brown, rather 

 sparsely distributed at the small end, but numerous about the 

 large end of the Qg^^ chiefly at the very apex. The size varies 

 from 3.70 by 2.40, 3.72 by 2.40, 3.71 by 2.41, representing 

 the maximum, to 3.26 by 2.28, 3.40 by 2.35, 3.33 by 2.21, 

 representing the minimum, in a series of twenty-five specimens." 



Grus mexicana (Mull.). 



SANDHILL CRANE. 



Migratory; common. Arrive about the middle of March to 

 first of April; return early in October; a few occasionally re- 

 main as late as November 20th. 



B. 479. R. 583. C. 669. G. 273, 61. U. 206. 



