THE LITTLE BROWN CRANE. 619 



^ No. 245. 



LITTLE BROWN CRANE. 



A. O. U. No. 205. Grus canadensis (Linn.). 



Description. — Adult: Plumage slaty gray to brownish, more or less washed, 

 especially on back and scapulars, with ochraceous or rusty, — this rusty sometimes 

 abruptly confined to scattered single feathers : quills, alula and primary coverts 

 blackish ; top of head to below eye bare, dull red, skin minutely warty and with 

 some short, bristly, black hairs; feet and legs black. Immature: Head entirely 

 feathered ; plumage brown rather than plumbeous, extensively washed with rusty. 

 Length about 35.00 (889) : wing 18.50 (469.9) ; tail 7.50 (190.5) ; bill 3.60 (91.4) ; 

 depth at base .jj 1 19.6 ) ; tarsus 7.50 (190.5); middle toe and claw 3.25 (82.6). 



Recognition Marks. — Eagle size ; slaty gray or brownish color ; crane pro- 

 portions of bill, neck and tarsus; smaller than the next species. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in \\'ashington. Like that of next species. Eggs: 

 smaller. Av. Size 3.66x2.28 (93x57.9). 



General Range. — Arctic and subarctic America, breeding from the Fur 

 Countries and Alaska to the Arctic Coast, migrating south in winter into the 

 western United States. 



Range in Washington. — Common spring and fall migrant thruout the State. 



Authorities. — Chapman, Bull. Am. Aluseum Nat'l Hist. \'ol HL No. L 

 ( 1890), p. 131. 



Specimens. — E ? 



THERE is no certain way of distinguishing these birds in flight from 

 their larger relatives. G. incxicana. We only know that the bulk of the cranes 

 which pass north during the spring migrations belong to this species, for it 

 alone occurs thruout the tundras of Alaska in summer. During the seasonal 

 movements no attention is paid to water-courses, and a pair seen at Dungeness 

 on a stormy day. the i8th of April, had just topped the Olympic Mountains. 



No. 246. 



SANDHILL CRANE. 



A. O. U. No. 206. Qrus mexicana (AliilL). 



Synonyms. — Southern S.vxdhii.l Cr.vne. Browx Craxe. 



Description. — Exactly like preceding species, but larger. Length about 

 45.00 ( 1 143 ) : wing 22.00 (558.8) : tail 8.00 (203.2) ; bill 5.50 (139.7) : depth at 

 base 1.05 (26.7) ; tarsus 10.25 (260.4) '■ middle toe and claw 4.00 (101.6). 



Recognition Marks. — Eagle size ; slaty gray or brownish color ; crane pro- 



