XLVI 



THE CRANES 



THERE are two common varieties of crane in 

 America, the white or whooping crane and the 

 brown or sand-hill crane, and a smaller crane known 

 as the little brown crane, which is very similar to the 

 sand-hill. They are all very wild and wary birds, most 

 difficult to stalk, but come well to decoys set out on 

 their feeding grounds. 



An occasional crane is shot by a sportsman from his 

 duck-blind, but there are a few places where stands of 

 decoys are kept for these birds. Mr. Sidney South- 

 wick, writing for Recreation, says : " The sand-hill or 

 gray crane is fast coming into favor as a game bird on 

 the big prairies of the Northwest. Indeed it already 

 takes rank in many localities as the equal of the wild 

 goose, not only as a game bird, delighting the eye and 

 the heart of the sportsman, but also as a table delicacy 

 of excellent flavor. In October they come down upon 

 the wheat and corn fields of Minnesota, Dakota, North- 

 ern Iowa, and Nebraska in immense droves. Indeed 

 they frequently alight in the fields of unhusked corn in 

 such destructive throngs that the farmer is compelled 

 to go forth musket in hand to the defence of his crops. 

 The sportsman, however, has no complaint to offer at 

 this state of affairs, and he is a far more dangerous 



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