IX. 



THE AMERICAN CRANES. 



BY many the sand-hill crane and the whoop- 

 ing crane are confounded with herons and bit- 

 terns. But neither kind has anything in common 

 with them except some resemblance in shape. 

 Where they can get plenty of grain or grass the 

 cranes seem to touch nothing else. When fat- 

 tened on wheat, barley, corn, or cotton-seed, or 

 even on good grass, either can be sure of the 

 sincere regards of any epicure. 



As game-birds they command the unbounded 

 respect of all who know them. In keenness of 

 sight no bird but the turkey and the whoop- 

 ing crane equals the common sand-hill ; in knowl- 

 edge of the range of a gun or rifle he is equaled 

 only by the whooping-crane, and there is reason 

 to think he is gifted with ears almost as keen as 

 those of the deer. Like all other game these 



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