ORDER VIII. CRANES, RAILS, ETC. 



PALUDICOL^:. 



Family 1. CRANES. GRUID.E. 3 species. 

 Family 2. COURLANS. ARAMIM. 1 species. 



Family 3. RAILS, GALLINULES, and COOTS. RALUD.E. 12 

 species, 3 subspecies. 



Cranes bear a general resemblence to Herons in that they are long- 

 legged, long-necked birds, but when on the wing, they carry the neck 

 fully extended, a habit which will readily distinguish them from the 

 curved neck Herons. Cranes are less aquatic than Herons and are 

 often found feeding on the prairies or pine-barrens where worms, grass- 

 hoppers, lizards, roots, etc., form their fare. They nest on the ground 

 laying two buffy eggs thickly marked with brown. The young, unlike 

 the nearly naked, helpless young of Herons, are born covered with 

 down and can soon follow their parents. The Cranes have loud sonor- 

 ous voices; the Herons raucous croaks. 



The Limpkin is a singular inhabitant of the more retired Florida 

 swamps. It feeds upon the ground largely upon a kind of land shell, 

 but also perches in trees. Its nest of twigs is placed in a small tree or 

 bush, and it lays from four to seven pale buffy eggs stained and 

 speckled with cinnamon brown. 



The Rails (Subfamily Railing) are inhabitants of grassy marshes 

 where, trusting to their long legs, they more often escape observation 

 by running than by flying. One may hear their characteristic notes 

 coming from the dense growth only a few yards distant and still be 

 unable to catch a glimpse of their maker. 



Rails nest on the ground laying six to twelve or fifteen buffy eggs 

 spotted with reddish brown. The young of all our species are born 

 covered with a shining black down. 



The Gallinules (Subfamily Gallinulince} are more aquatic than the 

 Rails and are consequently less difficult to observe. 



The Coots (Subfamily Fultdna) are still more aquatic than the Gall- 

 inules, as might be supposed from their lobed toes, in fact are as 

 much at home in the water as though they were Ducks. Both Galli- 

 nules and Coots lay eight to sixteen buffy, thickly speckled eggs in a 

 nest of reeds often built on a pile of rushes in the reeds. 



95 



