BIKDS OF KANSAS 137 



secure by standing motionless in the water, with bill poised, 

 patiently awaiting their near approach, when they are 

 pierced with a rapid stroke of the bill, and quickly swal- 

 lowed, head foremost. They also feed on frogs, meadow 

 mice in fact upon all small forms of digestible life. 



These birds have great strength of wing, and their flight 

 in migration is high and protracted ; at other times, unless 

 going a great distance, they flop leisurely along near the 

 water or land. In flight the head is drawn back upon the 

 breast, with legs extended rudder-like, in line with the 

 body. 



Their nests are placed on the branches of high trees, 

 growing upon swampy lands and along the streams; in 

 localities destitute of trees, upon bushes, rocks and the 

 ground ; in all cases a flat, bulky structure of sticks, lined 

 sparingly with grasses. Eggs three to six, usually four; 

 pale greenish blue; varying somewhat in size; in form, 

 rather elliptical oval. A set of four, taken April 12th, 

 1881, on an island in Nueces Bay, measure: 2.40x1.75, 

 2.60x1.86, 2.65x1.80, 2.65x1.86. 



XLVIIL SANDHILL CRANE. 



Orus mexicana (MULL.). 



Migratory; common. Arrive about the middle of 

 March to first of April; return early in October; a few 

 occasionally remain as late as November 20th. 



HABITAT. North in the British possessions to Mani- 

 toba, but chiefly within the United States, and west from 

 the Mississippi valley to the Pacific coast, south into cen- 

 tral Mexico, and eastward along the Gulf coast to Florida 

 and Georgia, breeding in suitable localities nearly through- 

 out its range. 



