']6 WADING BIRDS. 



the Mississippi in one of the trading boats of that period, I 

 had an opportunity of witnessing one of these vast migrations 

 of the Whooping Cranes, assembled by many thousands from 

 all the marshes and impassable swamps of the North and West. 

 The whole continent seemed as if giving up its quota of the 

 species to swell the mighty host. Their flight took place in 

 the night, down the great aerial valley of the river, whose 

 southern course conducted them every instant towards warmer 

 and more hospitable climes. The clangor of these numerous 

 legions passing along high in the air seemed almost deafening ; 

 the confused cry of the vast army continued with the length- 

 ening procession, and as the vocal call continued nearly 

 throughout the whole night without intermission, some idea 

 may be formed of the immensity of the numbers now assem- 

 bled on their annual journey to the regions of the South. 



The Whooping Crane is almost entirely confined to the central 

 portions of the continent, breeding from about the forty-third par- 

 allel northward, and wintering in Texas and the swampy interior of 

 Florida. It is doubtful if this species ever occurred in New Eng- 

 land, and at this day it is not seen near the Atlantic to the north of 

 the Chesapeake. It is a rare spring and fall migr mt in Ohio, and 

 a few pairs nest annually in the prairie region of Illinois. 



LITTLE BROWN CRANE. 

 Grus canadensis. 



Char. General color bluish gray, washed in places with tawny; 

 cheeks and throat ashy, sometimes white ; crown partially covered with 

 black hair-like feathers ; wings ashy brown; bill blackish. Young brown- 

 ish gray washed with tawny. Length about 3 feet. 



Nest On the marshy bank of a river or pond ; a hollow in the turf 

 lined with dry grass. 



Ei^gs. Usually 2 ; olive drab or ashy yellow or sea-green, marked with 

 brown ; 3.65 X 2.30. 



For the distribution of this species, see the account of the Sand- 

 hill Crane. 



