BIRDS OF KANSAS 137 



secure by standing motionless in the water, with bill poised, 

 patiently awaiting their near approach, when they are 

 pierced with a rapid stroke of the bill, and quickly swal- 

 lowed, head foremost. They also feed on frogs, meadow 

 mice — in fact upon all small forms of digestible life. 



These birds have great strength of wing, and their flight 

 in migration is high and protracted ; at other times, unless 

 going a great distance, they flop leisurely along near the 

 water or land. In flight the head is drawn back upon the 

 breast, with legs extended rudder-like, in line with the 

 body. 



Their nests are placed on the branches of high trees^ 

 growing upon swampy lands and along the streams; in 

 localities destitute of trees, upon bushes, rocks and the 

 ground ; in all cases a flat, bulky structure of sticks, lined 

 sparingly with grasses. Eggs three to six, usually four; 

 pale greenish blue; varying somew^hat in size; in form, 

 rather elliptical oval. A set of four, taken April 12th, 

 1881, on an island in I^ueces Bay, measure: 2.40x1.75, 

 2.60x1.86, 2.65x1.80," 2.65x1.86. 



XLViiL— sa:n^dhill cea:n^e. 



Grus mexicana (Mull.). 



Migratory; common. Arrive about the middle of 

 March to first of April; return early in October; a few 

 occasionally remain as late as November 20tlL 



Habitat. !N'orth in the British possessions to Mani- 

 toba, but chiefly within the United States, and west from 

 the Mississippi valley to the Pacific coast, south into cen- 

 tral Mexico, and eastward along the Gulf coast to Florida 

 and Georgia, breeding in suitable localities nearly through- 

 out its range. 



