NORTH AMERICAN MARSH BIRDS 233 



Dr. Joseph Grinnell (1900) observes: 



The peculiar and often ludicrous performances of these birds during the mating 

 season have been well described by Nelson, but these antics do not seem to be 

 confined to the courting season only for late in June I observed a pair of cranes 

 which I knew to have a set of eggs in the near neighborhood already laid, accom- 

 plishing a series of hops, skips, and profound bows, though these were mainly 

 participated in by one of the birds, the male I presume. Possibly such belated 

 demonstration is analogous to the singing of smaller birds even long after the 

 courting season. 



I find another phase of this curious performance described by F. 

 Sejrnour Hersey in his field notes for July 5, 1915, made near St. 

 Michael, as follows: 



To-day I watched two cranes for about 20 minutes. They were walking about 

 over the tundra some half mile from where I lay concealed. As they drew near 

 together they turned facing one another and first one and then the other would 

 jump into the air to a height of about 3 or 4 feet. They would do this six or 

 seven times with half-open wings, then run along side by side for a few yards, 

 again wheel and face each other and resume their odd dance. This was repeated 

 until both birds passed out of sight. 



Herbert W. Brandt, in his notes, sent to me in advance of pubUca- 

 tion, relates his experience with a pair of dancing cranes in the vicin- 

 ity of their nests, as follows : 



Both parent birds were very much agitated, striding back and forth past each 

 other, when suddenly they bowed gravely to one another a few times and began 

 their picturesque dance. This was a series of hops and jumps, and of bowing 

 low to the left and right, with the wings limply extended, as if loose jointed, and 

 nearly touching the ground. Their movements were those of ease and rhythm, 

 while they arched their necks in graceful curves that moved in perfect unison 

 with their bodies. We had drawn the kyak up alongside the nest, and one of 

 the Eskimo boys now removed a blunt bird arrow from its place. With this he 

 began to beat the tightly drawn sealskin deck of the boat so as to produce the 

 only native instrumental music. Then both boys chanted their crane song accom- 

 panied by rhythmic beating of their improvised drum. As they sang the two 

 cranes continued their dance and seemed to keep perfect time with the strange 

 music. Their movements were not continuous, but were punctuated by a slight 

 pause at the end of each motion, giving to them thus all the grace for which the 

 famous Spanish minuet dancer is noted. This continued for perhaps 10 minutes 

 and was to me one of the most entrancing, as well as one of the most novel, 

 experiences that I enjoyed while in the North. 



Nesting. — Doctor Nelson (1887) describes the nesting habits of 

 the Uttle brown crane, as follows: 



The site for the nest is usually on the grassy flats, where the drier portions or 

 the slight knolls afford them suitable places. The spot usually has an unobstruc- 

 ted view on all sides, and it is common to see the female's long neck raised sus- 

 piciously at the appearance in the distance of anything unusual. If one 

 approaches, the head sinks lower and lower to avoid being seen, but if the 

 person, even though 150 or 200 yards away, should stop and look toward the 

 bird, she will generally rise and skulk away, her neck close to the ground, wings 

 hanging loosely by the sides, and legs bent, so as to avoid being seen. When 

 she is 100 yards or more from the nest she straightens up and stalks anxiously 



