378 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. IX. 



Sandhill Crane. 



country become settled that those which now do so are very few 

 indeed, at least in comparison with former years. As long ago as 

 1876 Mr. Nelson stated that while formerly nesting abundantly on all 

 the large marshes, but few then bred except on one or two large 

 marshes in the central part of the state, where he was informed 

 they were still quite numerous. Just where the large marshes in 

 question are located, Mr. Nelson has not told us." Regarding its 

 occurrence in Wisconsin, Kumlien and Hollister say: "Although at 

 the present time entirely absent from most thickly settled portions 

 of the state, there are still many localities, even in southern Wis- 

 consin where it occurs regularly in good numbers. On the "Big 

 Marsh" near Delavan cranes occur every spring and fall in numbers 

 from one hundred to two hundred and fifty, remaining for nearly 

 three weeks at a time. A nest of two eggs was procured on this 

 marsh, May 30, 1883. * * * * * They were reported as nesting on 

 the immense marsh near Palmyra in 1898 and a few certainly bred 

 near Mauston in 1896. The last authentic record for nesting in 

 southeastern Wisconsin was of two pair which bred near Jefferson 

 in 1900." (Birds of Wisconsin, 1903, p. 37.) 



The nest is a large affair, composed of weeds, rushes, and small 

 sticks, built on the ground, usually in marshy places. The eggs are 

 two, grayish olive, spotted and blotched with brown. They measure 

 about 3.85 X 2.40 inches. 



