702 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITOEIES. 



Himantopus nigricollis, Yieill, (black-necked stilt:) 



Hub. — United States generally. 



We procured the eggs of this species on the 17th of June at Salt 

 Lake. They were four in number, and were laid on a pile of drift-wood, 

 in the edge of a little bay of the lake. The eggs measure If inches in 

 length by lf\r in breadth, and are of a light yellowish brown color, 

 spotted and blotched with dark brown and black, the spots being most 

 numerous near the large end. 



Family 58. — Gruid^, the Cranes. 

 Grus canadensis, Temm, (sand-hill crane :) 



Hah. — Whole of western regions of United States ; Florida. 



Saud-hill cranes were first met with on North or Henry's Fork, thence 

 north to Yellowstone Lake, and south to Snake Eiver, below Jackson's 

 Lake. They were quite numerous in all this region, but as they were 

 very shy it was difficult to obtain a shot at them. 



Family G7. — EALLiDiE, the Eails. 

 Porzana Carolina, Vieill, (common rail :) 



Hah. — Entire temperate regions of North America. 



Eails were quite common in a marsh at the foot of the Wahsatch 

 Eange. Here 1 secured one specimen. No. 79, (GlGdO,) and two nests, 

 Nos. 37 (1G303) and 38, (1G304.) The nests are large and bulky, and 

 were placed in a clump of flags in a swamp. They are composed of 

 marsh-grass, and contain twelve drab-colored eggs, spotted with choco- 

 late and reddish brown. 



