THE WHOOPING CRANE. 617 
those who hold them to be much more closely related than, for example, the 
Limicole and the Galline. \We should doubtless have clearer insight into the 
phylogenetic history of the Coot, if we were able to interpret the meaning of 
the chick’s downy plumage. As is well known, the young of any animal re- 
peats in the successive stages of its growth the developmental history of its 
race. Bearing this fact in mind, a brief 
description of a baby Coot will not be 
without interest: General color black, 
the down of body plumage everywhere 
interspersed with longer hair-like feath- 
ers, the terminal or exposed portion of 
these pale orange on upperparts, intensi- 
fying to bright orange-red around chin, : 
sides of face, and back of head, forming 
together with their black bases, now ex- 
posed, an absurd tonsure; short feathers 
of lores and ring of minute feathers 
about eyes still redder orange; top of 
head bare, forehead, except central line 
and space over eyes, livid purple, chang- 
ing on crown to pale red; bald area 
modified by tiny rows of starting 
feathers ; bill black at tip with a speck of white on top, thence to base passing 
thru four shades of red, pale vermilion or Saturn red, coral, light maroon, 
and purplish maroon; underparts modified to dull gray by whitish tips of 
projecting hairs; feet bluish gray. Surely the remote ancestors of the now 
plebian Coots must have been gay birds! 
Photo by the Author. 
A BABY COOT. 
No. 244. 
WHOOPING CRANE. 
A. O. U. No. 204. Grus americana (Linn.). 
Synonyms.—WHlITE CRANE. GREAT WHITE CRANE. AMERICAN CRANE. 
Description.—Adu/t: Plumage pure white, the wing-quills, primary coverts, 
and alula black; top of head, lores and cheeks bare, dull red, covered with a thin 
growth of short black hair,—the hair mixing more or less with white feathers on 
hind nape; bill dusky green; feet and legs black. Jmmature: Similar to adult, 
but head not bare; plumage, especially on back, more or less overlaid with ochra- 
ceous. Length 52.00 (1320.8); extent 90.00 (2286); wing 24.00 (609.6) ; tail 
11.00 (279.4); bill 5.50 (139.7) ; tarsus 11.50 (292.1) ; middle toe and claw 5.40 
Gis72)): 
