THE WHOOPING CRANE. 



617 



those who hold them to be mucli more closely related than, for example, the 

 Liiiiicolcc and the Galliiur. We should doubtless have clearer insight into the 

 phylogenetic history of the Coot, if we were able to interjiret the meaning of 

 the chick's downy plumage. As is well known, the _\'oung cif anv animal re- 

 peats in the successive stages of its growth the developmental history of its 

 race. Bearing this fact in mind, a brief 

 description of a baby Coot will not be 

 without interest : General color black, 

 the down of body plumage everywhere 

 interspersed with longer hair-like feath- 

 ers, the terminal or exposed portion of 

 these pale orange on upperparts. intensi- 

 fying to bright orange-red around chin, 

 sides of face, and back of head, forming 

 together with tlieir black bases, now ex- 

 posed, an absurd tonsure : short feathers 

 of lores and ring of minute feathers 

 about eyes still redder orange; top of 

 head bare, forehead, except central line 

 and space over eyes, livid purple, chang- 

 ing on crown to pale red ; bald area 

 modified by tiny rows of starting 

 featliers; bill black at tip with a speck of white on top. thence to base passing 

 thru four shades of red, pale vermilion or Saturn red, coral, light maroon, 

 and purplish maroon: underparts modified to dull gray by whitish tips of 

 projecting hairs; feet bluish gray. Surely the remote ancestors of the now 

 plebian Coots must have been gay birds ! 



Photo by titc Author. 

 A B.\BV COOT. 



No. 244. 



WHOOPING CRANE. 



A. O. U. No. 204. Griis americana (Linn.). 



Synonyms. — Whitk Ckaxk. Great White Crane. American Crane. 



Description. — Adult: Plumage pure white, the wing-quills, primary coverts, 

 and alula black ; top of head, lores and cheeks bare, dull red, covered with a thin 

 growth of short black hair. — the hair mixing more or less with white feathers on 

 hind nape: bill dusky green; feet and legs black. Imiiiaturc: Similar to adult, 

 but head not bare ; plumage, especially on back, more or less overlaid with ochra- 

 ceous. Length 52.00 (1320.8); extent 90.00 (2286); wing 24.00 (609.6); tail 

 11.00 (270.4) ; bill 5.50 (139.7) ; tarsus 11.30 (292.1) ; middle toe and claw S.40 

 (137-2). - ' ' 



