NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 97 



but frequently found the birds breeding in company with the Snowy 

 and Louisiana Herons. The nesting season is during April and May. 

 He has taken as many as six eggs from a nest ; the usual number, how- 

 ever, is four. They vary in shape from elliptical to oval ; sizes 1.90 to 

 2.00 long by 1.40 to 1.50 broad. 



204. Grus americana (Linn.) [582.] 



'Whooping Crane. 



Hab. Interior of North America, from the Fur Countries to Florida, Texas and Mexico, and from Ohio 

 to Colorado. 



The Great White or Whooping Crane is confined to the interior of 

 North America, and breeds from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Dakota 

 northward, passing the winter in the swamps of Florida and Texas. 

 Its chief line of migration seems to be the Mississippi Valley at large. 

 It is said to be common in the Fur Countries. Breeds in various places 

 throughout Manitoba, building its nest on the ground in the midst of 

 rank grass near marshes, or in wet meadows. Mr. J. W. Preston men- 

 tions the finding of a number of nests in Northern Iowa. One found in 

 the marshes near Eagle Lake, was about eighteen inches in height, 

 well built of tough, fine marsh grass and placed on firm sod ; it was 

 neatly cupped and contained two heavily marked, drab-colored eggs.* 



The eggs of the Whooping Crane are large and coarse looking ; 

 in color, light brownish-drab, sparsely marked, with large irregular 

 spots of a pale dull chocolate-brown and obscure shell-markings ; ellip- 

 tical; the shell is very rough, covered with numerous elevations like 

 little warts; Dr. Coues says two (or three?) in number; size about 3.75 

 by 2.65. Some eggs are blotched irregularly over the surface, while 

 others are marked at the smaller or greater end. Two eggs in my col- 

 lection from Northern Iowa measure 3.89x2.52, 4.03x2.55, respectively. 



205. Grus canadensis (Linn.) [584.] 



Little Bro-orn Crane. 



Hab. Arctic and subarctic America, breeding from the Fur Countries and Alaska to the Arctic coast, 

 migrating south in winter into the Western United States. 



The Little Brown Crane, which is almost exactly like the next 

 species, but smaller, is abundant in Arctic America. Specimens of 

 the bird and its eggs have been taken in various parts of Alaska. 

 Common on the Island of St. Michael's and at the mouth of the 

 Yukon. Eggs were obtained by Mr. Dall, on the Yukon river, June 

 17th. They were laid in a depression of the sandy beach. This 

 species is common in the marshes of Norton Sound, where their nests 

 are built on the dry knolls, and the eggs are laid before the end of 

 May. Throughout most parts of Manitoba, the Little Brown Crane is a, 



*The Oologist, Vol. IV, p. 43. 



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