SA.\i)lf/hL CRAN/: 



•OHDER XV. ALKCTOIUDES. CHAN KS, ETC.- 



Lef/s, long, and naked above the tarsal joint. Posterior toe, present, and 7nore or less 

 elevated above the level of the anterior toes. Keel, usuallij exceeding in height the ividth of 

 the sternum. Marainal indentations, absent, or two and deep. 



This onlcr includes the Cranes, Courhms, Rails, Gallinules, Coots, etc., all oi' which 

 are widely distributed, but are better represented in the Temperate and Torrid Zones than 

 elsewhere. The young arc eovered willi down and run ai birlh. 



FAMILY I. GRUID^. THE CRANES. 



Bill, long, straight, and deeply grooved. Terminal portion offurcula, joined jirmly 

 to tip of keel, ivhich is high, thick, and greatly exceeds the width of the sternum which is nar- 

 row and wiihcut marginal iadentations. Anterior portion of keel projected forwcrd, vj'dened, 

 and hiJlo'xed to receive a bend of the trachea. 



Members of this family are all very large, powerful birds. The stomach i ■■: muscular, 

 and the intestines arc long and slender, but the coeca are usually small. The legs are 

 long but the toes are quite short. 



GENUS 1 ORUS. THE TRUE CRANES. 



Gkn. Cii. Top of head, destitute, of feath'ns in adults and covered^ with small scales. Sternun:, ncrroir, iri/h the pos- 

 terior martjin indented. Tertiaries, etonrjated and curved downward. 



Members of tliis genus have the ■<terauiii narrow. e;iuaiing abjut one half tiie widili of the c„racoids. The tibia is na- 

 ked for its lower hiilf. Sexes, similar. There are two spei-ies within our limits. 



GRUS CANADENSIS. 

 Sandhill Crane. 



Grus Cnnud/ nsis Tkmm. , Anal. 

 DESCRIPTION. 

 Si'. Ch Form, robust. Size, large. Tongue, long, slender, and tapering gra<lually to ti)) whieli is|Hiintcd. Naked 

 sjace on head, scalloped behind. 



Cot.oR. Adult. Slaty-blue throughout, becoming dark-brown on primaries. Ir^.^, ruby-red. Nsiked s|)ace about 

 head, lake. Legs and bill, lila<-k. Yomiij. Similar, but tinged with yellowish above, and tl>c iris is yellow. 



OlSSERVATIONS. 

 Readily known by the large size and bluish color. See succeeding species for further compirison. nijtributed, in 



summer, throughout the AVest. Constantly resident in Florida. 



Dl.MENSIOXS. 

 Average measurements oi specimens frcmi Florida. Length, 41 '00; .stretch, T3(iO: wing, l!<.5(i; tail, S-Jo; bill, 500; tar- 

 sus, 9'50. Longest sjiecinien, 4-2()0: greatest extent of wing, '/400; longest wing, 20'00: tail, 9 50; bill, 5- 10; tainus, lO'OO. 

 Shortest specimen, 4000; smallest extent of wing, 7-200: shortest wing, 1900; tail, 700; bill,4'!l0; tai'sus, yoo 



DESC^RII'TIOX OF NESTS .\ND EOCS. 

 A'e.sV.s. placed on tlie gnnnid in uwrshy places, e.mpo-i'd of mud, grass, weeds, etc. F.(jfjs. two in number, railicr el- 

 liptical in fy-m, ashy-yellow in color, spotted and Id iti^'lied i.regularly with reddish-brown and umbor. Dim: nsijns from 

 •2- 15 X 3-40 to 2-21 X. 3-65. 



II.MUTs. 



The first time that I ever met with it living Sandhill Crane, Wii.-^ ;it L.ike iranu-y. I 

 had wandered out into the piney woods which at that point, are quite low with an occa-uonal 



