NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK — HOLLISTEE 327 



In parts of the upper Mississippi Valley, where it formerly bred but 

 now occurs only in migration, it is a bird of the prairies and corn- 

 fields, where its habits are much the same as those of the Canada 

 goose. Small flocks flying low over the prairies, to and from the 

 feeding grounds, are easily mistaken for geese, but when the birds are 

 migrating, in great circles high in the air, there is no cause for mis- 

 identification. At reasonable range, flying cranes are readily dis- 

 tinguished from geese by the long legs, extending backward ; and may 

 be instantly known from the blue heron (often erroneously called 

 blue crane) by the long neck, which is held extended forward and 

 never folded back as with the herons. 



The little brown crane (Grus canadensis), much like the sand-hill 

 crane but smaller, is still common in the West. It breeds in Alaska 

 and northern Canada and winters in Texas, California, and Mexico. 



A number of exotic cranes, some of striking appearance, are reg- 

 ularly kept in the park. Of the genus Grus a number of Asiatic 

 species are shown, including the large sarus crane {Grus collaris), 

 the white-necked crane ( G. leucauchen) so often pictured in Japanese 

 drawings; the Indian white crane (G. leucogeranus) ; and Lilford's 

 crane (G. lilfordi), which represents the common European crane 

 in eastern Siberia, A fine Australian species (G. rubicunda) is often 

 called the " native companion." 



The demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo) of southern Europe 

 and Asia and northern Africa is a pretty little species with white 

 ear tufts; and the crowned crane of Africa (Balearica pavonina) 

 is a still more handsome form supporting an erect occipital tuft 

 which is decidedly showy. 



Specimens of the American coot (Fulica americana) , representing 

 the rail family, may be seen in the North American waterfowl lake. 

 This bird, often called the " mud hen," or " crow duck," has a wide 

 distribution in North America. It breeds from central Canadian 

 Provinces south to Texas, Tennessee, and New Jersey; and winters 

 from the Central States to northern South America. In many places 

 the coot is classed as a game bird, and properly cooked it provides 

 a very palatable food. Several exotic relatives are always on 

 exhibition. 



An interesting flightless rail from New Zealand, known as the 

 weka, differs greatly from our common members of the family in 

 habits, as it is a bird of the forest and scrub rather than of wet 

 marshes or lakes. Although the wekas have imperfectly developed 

 wings, and are incapable of flight, they are expert climbers, and the 

 inclosure in which they are kept must be covered completely. They 

 are of the size of a well-grown pullet and are quarrelsome and mis- 

 chievous, even among others of their own kind. Three species 



