SPECIES EXTINCT OR EXTIRPATED. 477 



The Trumpeter is well able to protect itself and its young 

 from the smaller prowlers, for it can deliver a terrible blow 

 with its powerful wing. Although it lays five to seven eggs, 

 some mortality must overtake the young, for comparatively 

 few young birds of the year are seen in the fall flights. The 

 Bald Eagle sometimes surprises it in flight, and, hurtling from 

 above, strikes it to the earth; otherwise it seems to have few 

 natural enemies powerful and swift enough to destroy it. 



Little is known definitely about the food of the Trumpeter. 

 Dr. Hatch says that it feeds chiefly on vegetation, both 

 aquatic and terrestrial. It feeds like all Swans, by immersing 

 its head and neck and taking its food from the bottom. Its 

 food consists largely of water plants, but it also takes shell- 

 fish and crustaceans. 



WHOOPING CRANE (Grus americana). 



Length. — 50 inches or more; extent of wings about 90. 



Adult. — Bill stout and slightly curved; head bare and red on top and on 

 each side to Lelow the eyes, except for scattering hairs; plumage pure 

 white, with black primaries and primary coverts; bill waxy yellow; iris 

 yellow; legs and feet black. This is one of the largest North American 

 birds, far exceeding in size the Great Blue Heron. 



Immature. — Head feathered, portions that finally become naked indicated 

 by dark feathers; general plumage whitish, stained with rusty brown. 



Nest. — On ground in marsh or prairie. 



Eggs. — Two or sometimes three, about 4 inches in length; light brownish 

 drab, rather sparsely marked, except at great end, with large irregular 

 spots of dull chocolate brown and lighter reddish brown, and other pale 

 obscure shell markings; shell rough. 



Season. — Possibly this species formerly resided in Massachusetts through- 

 out the spring, summer and fall, but probably came here only irregu- 

 larly in the spring and fall migrations. 



Range. — Formerly the greater part of North America, breeding from the 

 northern United States northward, is now found only in the interior 

 of the continent far from the shores of anj' ocean, sparsely and irreg- 

 ularly distributed; formerly migrated along the Atlantic seaboard, from 

 Florida to New England at least. • It followed up the valley of the Hud- 

 son, and was common about the Great Lakes and from there to the fur 

 countries. It wintered in the southern States, from Florida to Texas 

 and Mexico, and still winters in some of them. It is now nearing 

 extinction. 



