Water Birds 



387 



tute of lobes and its bill is red, tipped with yellow. 

 These birds stay among the reeds and cat-tails and are 

 heard oftener than seen. They breed throughout the 

 greater part of the United States and south as far as 

 Chile and Argentina. 



The purple gallinule has the head, neck, and under 

 parts of a beautiful purplish blue color. It is common 

 in the tropical and warm temperate parts of America 

 and has been seen north as far as the southern part of 

 New England and the Great Lakes. It frequents ponds 

 where the yellow pond lily abounds. 



Cranes and herons. The birds belonging to the heron 

 and crane families have long, bare legs, long necks, and 

 long, straight beaks. The bird student can tell them 

 apart by their tracks, for the hind toe of the crane is 

 small and elevated, so that 

 it leaves no trace. They 

 are also distinguished by the 

 fact that the herons in the 

 breeding season have long, 

 graceful plumes adorning 

 the breast and back, while 

 cranes lack these plumes. 

 When flying, herons carry 

 the neck folded and drawn 

 in between the shoulders, 

 while cranes have the neck 

 as well as the legs out- 

 stretched. 



Cranes are now seldom 

 seen east of the Mississippi FIG. 239- Sand-hm crane. 



