LIST AND DESCRIPTION 61 



FAMILY GRUID^. CRANES 



Cranes are more terrestrial in habit than Herons. 



During migration they frequently light in numbers to 

 feed, usually on knolls or in winter wheat or rye fields. During 

 the breeding season they inhabit marshy places and their food 

 consists chiefly of aquatic animal forms. Cranes reproduce 

 slowly, rarely laying more than two eggs in one nest. 



204. WHOOPING CRANES (Grus americana.) "WHITE CRANES." 



This beautiful bird stands three and one half to four feet 

 high. The forehead is bare and dull red. Plumage all white ex- 

 cept the longer wing feathers, which are black. The head of the 

 young is feathered, both head and neck feathers being more or 

 less rusty. There is a young specimen in the Museum the plum- 

 age of which is washed with rusty over the entire body. They 

 nest north of us and are seen only in migration in South Dakota. 



205. LITTLE BROWN CRANE (Grus canadensis.) 



The range of migration of this Crane is given as "western 

 part of the United States and east to the Rocky Mountains." 



The specimen in the University Museum was taken in 

 Walworth County. There is one in the United States National 

 Museum taken in Edmunds County, October 22, 1883. Mr. F. A. 

 Patton, of Artesian, took one in Miner County in 1896. Mr. F. 

 M. Chapman gives the following description: "Length, thirty- 

 five inches ; bill, four inches. Adults : skin of top of head dull 

 red ; plumage brownish gray. Young : head feathered, plumage 

 with more or less rusty. Probably very difficult to distinguish 

 from a young or immature specimen of the Sandhill Crane." 



206. SANDHILL CRANE (Grus mexicana.) 



This splendid bird is quite abundant in migration and has 

 nested in the State. 



In general appearance it is very similar to No. 205, but 

 larger. Length three and one half to four feet; bill five to five 

 and one-half inches. 



