238 BULLETIN 136, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



While lying in my boat in a narrow channel in the canal a crane came down 

 close to the bank. Only his head could be seen, but after looking at me for 

 awhile he ran along some 50 feet in a series of hops of about 6 feet in distance, 

 stopping at each to raise his head and survey the boat. He then turned looked 

 me over carefulij^ and went back to about an equal distance the other side of his 

 first position, examined me critically from that point of view and then returned 

 to the point where I first saw him. I do not know how much longer he would 

 have continued his antics had I not ended the interview with a charge of shot. 



Doctor Grinnell (1914) relates the following incident, illustrating 

 the caution displayed by this species in selecting a roosting place, which 

 he observed in the lower Colorado Valley : 



A large flock spent the night of March 9 on a mud bar in the river at the 

 lower end of Chemehuevis Valley. This roosting ground was about midway 

 between the high wooded banks of the river, and about 200 yards from either 

 bank. The cranes had thus selected a place which could not be approached 

 except in the open, and were evidently on their guard all night. They were just 

 opposite our camp; every now and then something would disturb them and 

 a chorus of sonorous calls and wing-flappings would ensue for a minute or 

 more. 



Fa7Z.— Doctor Nelson (1887) says: 



The last of July, and during August, the cranes frequent the hillsides, and feast 

 upon the berries growing there, and early in September the small flocks, which 

 have been trooping about from one feeding ground to another, join into larger 

 companies, until toward the last of the month — from the 18th to the 30th — they 

 pass to the south, making the air resonant with their guttural notes as they file 

 away toward the Yukon. 



Dr. Wilfred H. Osgood (1904) writes, of their migration at the base 

 of the Alaska Peninsula: 



Little brown oranes were first seen September 3, on the Malchatna River, a few 

 miles above the mouth of the Yikchik, and from that point down to the vicinity 

 of the mouth of the Nushagak, they were very abundant. The river for this 

 distance abounds in islands and long sand bars and spits upon which large water 

 birds spent much of their time. When not flying the cranes are seldom seen 

 except on these sand bars, where they mingle with the more numerous gulls and 

 geese. On fine days they stand for hours in small groups enjoying the sun, 

 scarcely ever making a move. Their unmistakable rattling, metallic cry usually 

 kept one informed of their whereabouts when they were flying anywhere within 

 half a mile. They were quite wary and rarely came within gunshot. 



E. S. Cameron (1907) says that the little brown crane is commoner 

 than the sandhill crane in Montana, occuring in flocks of from 10 to 

 150. He writes: 



In September, 1898, a regular invasion of southward-bound flocks took place 

 at Terry. The inhabitants pursued them with every description of weapon but 

 only one was shot — by J, C. Braley, with a rifle at 300 yards. When fired at 

 with a rifle the birds would fly only about half a mile and again alight, so that 

 the fusillade could be continued at intervals. The only possible way of obtain- 

 ing specimens is from concealment in the corn fields which they frequent. The 



