BIRDS OF NEW YORK 269 



Grus mexicana (Miiller) 

 Sandhill Crane 



Plate 24 



Ardea (Grus) mexicana Mullen Syst. Nat. Sup. 1776. p. no 

 Grus americana DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 218 (part) 

 Grus mexicana A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 206 



mexica'na, of Mexico 



Description. Whole plumage brownish gray, or bluish gray; bare 

 portions of the head dull red sparsely overgrown with stiff hairs. Young: 

 Varied with rusty brown; the head entirely feathered. 



Length 40-48 inches; extent 80; wing 21-22.5 J tail 9; bill 5-6, depth at 

 base .95-1.1; tarsus 9.5-10.6; middle toe 3.5; tibia bare 4.6-5. 



For the benefit of those who persist in calling the Great blue heron a 

 crane, it may be said that these birds have a superficial resemblance to each 

 other, but belong to different orders and are quite different in details of 

 structure and habits. A slight attention to the description and plate 24 

 will show the difference between them. Furthermore the crane is not found 

 in the Eastern States, except in very rare instances. 



Although this bird occurred in New York during colonial times, neither 

 Giraud nor DeKay mention it as having been taken within our borders. 

 It is included in Dr Bergtold's Buffalo List as an accidental visitant, on 

 the authority of Charles Linden and Otto Besser. Mr Posson in his manu- 

 script notes on the birds of Orleans county states that a specimen of this 

 species "was secured near Albion about 1880, and another in the town of 

 Clarendon, about 1886." Mr David Bruce writing to the State Museimi 

 says, "a fine example was shot by Mark Cooke of Brockport, May 20, 1885. 

 It was in fine plumage and had been for several days in the same place." 

 This is evidently the second specimen referred to by Mr Posson, who gives 

 David Bruce as his authority. I have talked with Mr Bruce and others 

 who saw this specimen before it was destroyed by fire in the meat market 

 at Brockport, and am convinced that there was no error in regard to the 

 identity of the bird, or the place of its capture. 



