GRUIDM, CRANES.—GEN. 223. ARAMIDMH, COURLAN.—GEN. 239. 271 
tibiz naked for a great distance; tarsi scutellate in front; toes short, webbed at 
base; hallux very short, highly elevated. About 14 species of various parts of 
the world; only 2 of them American. Most of them fall in the genus Grus; the 
elegant ‘‘ demoiselle” cranes of the Old World, Anthropoides virgo and paradise, 
and the African Balearica pavonina, are the principal exceptions. © 
223. Genus GRUS Linnsus. 
White or Whooping Crane. Adult with the bare part of the head 
extending in a point on the occiput above, on each side below the eyes, and 
very hairy. Bill very stout, gonys convex, ascending, that part of the 
under mandible as deep as the upper opposite it. Adult plumage pure white, 
with black primaries, primary coverts and alula; bill dusky greenish; legs 
black ; head carmine, the hair-like feathers blackish. Young with the head 
feathered; general plumage gray? varied with brown. Length about 
50 inches; wing 24; tail 9; tarsus 12; middle toe 5; bill 6. Temperate 
N. Am., but apparently of irregular distribution, not well made out; said 
to be common in the South Atlantic and Gulf States. Wiuus., viii, 20, pl. 
64, f. 3: Norr., ii, 34; Aup., v, 188, pl. 313; Bp., 654. . amMERICANUS. 
Brown or Sandhill Crane. Adult with the bare part of the head forking 
behind to receive a pointed extension of the occipital feathers, not reaching 
on the sides below the eyes, and sparsely hairy. Bill moderately stout, with 
nearly straight and scarcely ascending gonys, that part of the under mandible 
not so deep as the upper at the same place. Adult plumage plumbeous-gray, 
never whitening; primaries, their coverts, and alula, blackish. Young with - 
head feathered, and plumage varied with rusty brown. Rather smaller than 
the last. Temperate N. Am., rare or irregular in the east, very abundant 
in the south and west. Nurtt., ii, 38; Aup., v, 188 (in part), pl. 314; - 
Bp., 655. Also, Gt. fraterculus Cass. in Bp., 656 (young). CANADENSIS. 
Family ARAMIDZ:. Courlan. 
Consisting of a single genus, with probably only one species, of the warmer 
portions of America; closely allied to the rails in all essential points of structure, 
and perhaps only forming a subfamily of fdillide. Bill twice as long as the head, 
slender but strong, compressed, grooved for about half its length, contracted 
opposite the nostrils, the terminal portion enlarged, and decurved; nostrils long, 
linear, pervious; head completely feathered to the bill; tibiee half bare; tarsus 
seutellate anteriorly, as long as the bill; toes cleft, the hinder elevated; wings 
short, rounded, with falcate 1st primary ; tail short, of 12 broad feathers. 
239. Genus ARAMUS Vieillot. 
Scolopaceous Courlan. Orying-bird. Chocolate-brown with a slight oliva- 
ceous or other gloss, paler on the face, chin and throat, most of the plumage 
sharply streaked with white ; 24-28 long; wing 12-14; tail 6-7; bill and 
tarsus, each, about 5. Florida. Bonar., Am. Orn. iv, 111, pl. 26; Nurr., 
li, 68; Aup., vy, 181, pl. 312; Bp., 657. . SCOLOPACEUS var. GIGANTEUS. 
