CRANES AND CUURLANS 



20I 



fare, but nut in Mifhcient nunibL-rs to make its 

 flesh " strung " as is that of the Herons and 

 (ilher wathny birds. In fact, this Crane's flesh 

 is excehenl f(.)r tlie table, and it has been persist- 

 ently hnnted for food. 



On the fenceless prairies and the treeless 

 marshes, where its keen eyes can detect afar off 

 the approach of ;in enemy, the demeanor and 

 habits of this fine, brave bird challentje the ad- 

 miration of the man who appreciates alertness, 

 cunrage. and strength in wild life. Xot for an 

 instant is the great bird otT his guard. Aloving 

 in delilierate and dignified strides he jjauses occa- 

 sionally and lowers his head to thrust his long 

 bill into the soft earth, or to seize a dozing frog 

 or an un watchful insect : but in a few seconds up 

 again comes his head, and his eves search the 

 surr<iunding country. If the approach of his 

 chief enemy, man, is discovered, the Crane sur- 

 veys the intruder for a few minutes and then, 

 with a few long, running strides takes to his 



wings, at the same time soundmg his wild and 

 defiant cry. 



This cry of the Sandhill Crane is a veritable 

 voice of Nature, untamed and unterrified. Its 

 uncanny ([uality is like that of the Loon, but is 

 more pronounced because of the much greater 

 \'olume of the Crane's voice. Its resonance is 

 remarkable and its carrying power is increased 

 by a distinct tremolo effect. Often for several 

 minutes after the birds have vanished, the un- 

 earthly sound drifts back to the listener, like a 

 taunting trumpet from the under-world. 



George Gladden. 



The Little Brown Crane ( Grns lainidciisis ) is 

 like the Sandhill Crane excejit for its smaller 

 size. It breeds from northern Alaska, Melville 

 Island, and Boothia Peninsula south to central 

 Alaska, southern Mackenzie, and central Kee- 

 watin. During migration it occurs through the 

 interior of the United States and winters south 

 to Texas and Mexico. 



LIMPKIN 

 Aramus vociferus {Latham) 



A. O. U- -Xuniher 207 



Other Names. — Courlan ; Crying-birfl : Chicking-lieii ; 

 Caraii. 



Description. — Length, 28 inches. Color, olive-ljrown, 

 paler on face, chin, and throat, streaked or spotted 

 everywhere with white; bill, dusky; legs, greenish- 

 dusky; iris, brown. The young are paler and duller 

 than the adults. 



Nest and Eggs. — \'est: On the ground near water. 



sometimes a short distance above ground in a maze of 

 vines or thick bushes; constructed of grass, leaves, dead 

 vines, moss, and other old vegetation. Eccs : 4 to 7, 

 usually 5 or 6, varying from pure white to bufFy, spotted 

 and splashed with brown and gray. 



Distribution. — Florida, Greater .Antilles, and both 

 coasts of Central America ; casual north to South 

 Carolina ; accidental in Texas. 



Of the Courlan family only two species are 

 known, one of these being the Limpkin of 

 Central America, Mexico, the West Indies, and 

 Florida. It may be described as a very large 

 Rail with many of the habits of an Ibis. In the 

 Everglades of Florida it is a common bird and 

 while crossing that vast waste in the month of 

 May I found many flocks, some of wliich 

 numbered as high as forty individuals. Their 

 flight is peculiar. With dangling legs the bird 

 springs from the glades and goes off on wings 

 that have a jerky motion, strongly suggestive of 

 the movements of the wings of a mechanical 

 beetle. In alighting the wings are held high above 

 the back and in this attitude the bird drops from 

 sight. The food consists largely of the big fresh- 



water snail found in many parts of the State. 

 These snails in places abound in the shallow 

 waters and are easily procured by this long- 

 legged wading bird. In the cypress swamps I 

 have come upon piles of empty shells from which 

 the snails had been extracted by these birds. In 

 doing this the shell is rarelv broken. 



In the swamps along the Oklawaha River, 

 lumbermen of recent years have cut much of the 

 timber. Stumps, from four to ten feet in height, 

 are everywhere left standing. The jimgle hates 

 a bare place and soon these stimips are covered 

 with vines. Here, on the top of these vine-clad 

 pillars, the Limpkins often build their nests. 

 Farther south you mav find them in tall bunches 

 of saw-grass or isolated custard-apples bushes in 



