SANDHILL CRANE. 77 



SANDHILL CR.\NE. 

 brown crane. 

 Grus mexicana. 



Char. Similar to the Little Brown Crane, but larger. Length about 

 4 feet. 



A^'est and Eggs. Similar to the smaller race. The eggs larger ; 4.00 

 X 2.45. 



This species, scarcely inferior to the americana in magni- 

 tude, visits all parts of the fur countries in summer up to the 

 shores of the Arctic Sea, and is indeed, according to the 

 season, spread more or less throughout North America, having 

 been observed in Mexico, Louisiana, and Florida. It also 

 probably breeds in the interior of the continent, as Major 

 Long saw it in the Illinois country on the 15 th of July. As 

 early as the 7th of February Kalm observed flocks passing 

 over New Jersey and Pennsylvania on their way either to the 

 North or West ; but as the Atlantic coast has become more 

 settled and populous, these shy birds have, for the most part, 

 altered their route, and now proceed more within the wilder 

 interior of the continent. In May they are seen about Hudson 

 Bay ; and like the Whooping Crane, which they resemble in 

 manners, they nest on the ground, laying two eggs, of an oil 

 green, irregularly and rather thickly spotted with yellowish 

 brown and umber, the spots confluent and dark on the greater 

 end. The flesh is accounted good food, resembling that of the 

 Swan ( Cygnus biiccinato)-) in flavor. 



It is not surprising that the older writers should have treated 

 canadensis and mexicana as one species, for in appearance and in 

 general distribution tliey are very similar, though the larger of the 

 two may be termed a Southern race, as it breeds south to Florida, 

 while the smaller race breeds north to the Arctic regions; but both 

 forms are found on the Western plains. 



Along the valley of the Mississippi these birds are very abun- 

 dant ; but excepting an occasional wanderer, they are seen to the 

 eastward of that river in Georgia and Florida only. One example 

 of the Little Brown Crane was shot in Rhode Island during 

 October, 1889. 



