WATER BIRDS. 



149 



and even flocks composed entirely of this species. Of late years adults 

 are exceedinaly rare, and the last record we have of a Wisconsin capture is 

 October, 1878, when a fine old bird was shot in Green county, and sent to 

 Thure Kumlien. Newspaper and other reports of flocks of ' White Cranes ' 

 and of specimens shot in various parts of the state of late years, refer to the 

 Greater Egret and not to this species" (Birds of Wisconsin, 1903, p. 36). 

 The nesting habits are similar to those of the Sandhill Crane, the nest a 

 rude structure of weeds and vegetable refuse on the ground, and the two 

 eggs olive or olive buff spotted with brown and gray, and averaging 4.04 

 by 2.50 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Adult: Plumage entirely white, except the outer wing-feathers (primaries) whicli are 

 black; top of head, lores and cheeks naked, usually reddish, and with a few scattered 

 black "hairs." Sexes alike. Young of the year, similar, but many feathers with yellowish 

 brown tips, often giving a rusty tinge to the entire plumage; the whole head feathered. 



Length 50 to 54 inches; wing 22 to 25; culmen 5.35 to 5.80; tarsus 11 to 12. 



78. Sandhill Crane. Grus mexicana (Mull). (206) 



Synonyms: Brown Crane, Upland Crane, Field Crane. — Ardea mexicana, Miill., 1776 

 — Grus pratensis, Bartr., 1791. — Grus fusca (part) Vieill., 1817. — Grus canadensis, Nutt., 

 1834, Baird, 1858, Coues, 1872, Ridgw., 1881. 



Figures 39 and 40. 



Comparison of the figures of the head of this species and that of the 

 Great Blue Heron will enable the student to separate the two at a glance. 

 The large size and general „^^ _^ 



proportions make'it impos- 

 sible to confound the bird 

 with anything else but the 

 Blue Heron, and from this 

 species it can be readily 

 separated by the bald head 

 and the gray or brown 

 plumage, which is never 

 blue at any age. 



Distribution. — Southern 

 half of North America; now 

 rare near the Atlantic coast, 

 except in Georgia and 

 Florida. 



Now that the Wild Tur- 

 key is extinct the Sandhill 

 Crane probably is the 

 heaviest wild bird found 

 in the state, unless pos- 

 sibly the Whistling Swan 

 sometimes equals it. It 

 is a decidedly larger bird 

 in every way than the 

 Blue Heron, with which it 



f, f 1 1 1 F'S- 39- Sandhill Crane, 



is Olicn COntOUnclCCl ana ^^.^^ ^^.^^^ Brewer and Ridgway's Water Birds of North 

 its weight IS at least double America. (Little. Brown & Co.) 



