wr 



ORTTD.E — THE CRANRS - r.RUS. 



411 



contiiiiu'd sot'ds of an \iiil<ii(i\vii ])liint iis liir^'c as coftVc-hcans. All contiiiiit'd moro 

 or IcHS saiiil, liits oF i|iiartz. and small iirown pcltidcs. Wht'U di'v tlu'sc materials 

 woidil woif^li two (inni'i's. lOxca vat ions, sufli as Audulxm saw tlicsc liirds making in 

 KiMituckv. wliiMH! they rooted like lio^'s. have never hecn noticed in Florida, although 

 the same lily roots are eomnion and abundant. The largest excavations seen were 

 not lar>;er than a oort'ee-('ti|i. 



Incid)ation take.s jdace from the last or the middle of February to the middle of 

 JIay. or later. 



Mr. Moore describes a peculiar use by this bird of the winj,' in its tlijijht. There 

 is an upward lift or jerk made suddi'idy. The win^; is now laid on the air ^'cntly. an<l 

 suffered to dip slowly down; then, havinj; reached the proper ])oint, it is suddenly 

 flirted ujiwards, and attain laid upon tlie air — just, it would seem, at that critical 

 moment when it is neee.ssary to prevent the bird from declining,' in its chosen line 

 of Hif,dit. 



Mr. Kidj,'way speaks of iindin}^ this species very abundant in the marshes of Rnby 

 Valley, where it was seen daily, it was also ([uite common in the wet meadows of 

 Carson Valley, where a tame Crane, can<,dit v.hen youuf; in the neij,'hborinj,' meadows, 

 was a remarkable and amusinf,' pet. As he was enterinj^ the j^'ate, the bird's eye 

 quickly detected a Junro oirrfo/nis that had been partially thrust into his coat i)Ocket; 

 and walking' boldly up to him, the Crane snatched it out and deliberately beat it upon 

 the i,M'ound until nearly denuded of fe.ithers, when it was swallowed with ajiparent 

 relish. The Craiu' then again approached, and carefully examiiu'il Ins person for 

 more birds ; but failing to find any, marched away across the yard ■with a stiitely sti'i). 

 This pet wo\dd frecpiently walk upon the jMnch, go uj) to the window, and watch 

 with curiosity and ap])arent interest the sjjorts of the chihlren in the house; and 

 if any of them approached the window it would evince its pleasure by amusing 

 f,'esticulati()ns. 



!Mr. Dresser did not meet with this s])ecies near ^fatamoras ; but on his journey 

 from IJrownville to San .\ntonio in Seiitend)er, liSIJ.'i, he ,saw birds of this species 

 every day. During the winter they were quite eomnion near San Antoiuo ; but all 

 (lisai)iieare(l toward spring. lie was told that they breed near Galveston and in 

 ^latagordo l>ay ; but this statement requires confirmation. 



It is probable that much of the description of habits applied by Audubon to the 

 Whooi)ing (,'rane is e(|ually referable to the present sjx'cies. At any rate in one 

 instance it is very evident that he must have had this bird in view. This was in 

 l)ccend)er, 18^.'!, when his son went to Sjjring Island, on the coast of (Jeorgia, and 

 where the only specimen obtained was evidently a G. mexicmia. He found the 

 Cranes plentiful, resorting to the sweet-]i()tato fields, digging up their produce as ex- 

 ]iertly as a troop of negroes would have done. The birds would walk over the little 

 heaps, probing them in various parts in the manner of a Woodcock ; and whenever a 

 potato was found, removing the soil, and taking out and devouring the root. In this 

 manner the flock searched over the whole field, gleaning all the potatoes ■which 

 had escaped the gatherers. 



An egg in my cabinet (No. 652) measures — as nearly as can be estimated, the 

 smaller end being wanting — 4.00 inches in length by 2.40 inches in breadth. The 

 ground-color is a deep washing of sepia-brown, over which are distributed large 

 blotches, a few rounded in sha])e, but chiefly longitudinal, of dark sepia. A few of 

 the Larger blotches are fainter, and have a slight tinge of purplish. This egg was 

 obtained near Lake Koskonong, Wis. IMr. Kumlien received it on the 1st of May; 

 but it had been taken three weeks previously, or about April 10, 1851, and contained 



'I'll'' 

 lit- 



