138 



COURLANS. 



I ' 



^rtwjr^.— Interior of North America ; breeds from Illinois northward ; win- 

 ters in tl)e Gulf States. 



Wa.shin<,'t()n, A. V., one record. 



^A'cv^, of trrasscs and weed stalks, on the ffrnund in marshy j>laco8. E(jff8, 

 two, olive -<fray, spotted and blotched with distinct and obscure cinnamon- 

 brown markings, 4'UO x 'J-oO. 



A rather rare species east of the iMississippi. " In flight their long 

 necks and stiltlike legs are stretched out in a line with the body to 

 the full extent, moving strongly with slowly boating wings, but not 

 swiftly, . . . often circling spiral-hke to a great height. They occa- 

 sionally bunch up, and I have seen them in triangular form ; but us a 

 rule they travel in single flie, following their louder in a wavy line, 

 croaking as they go, like hounds upon a cold trail " (Goss). 



The LiTTi.K BitowN Cuane {205. (irns canadeiiiiis) breeds from Hudson 

 Bay to Alaska, and winters in Texas and Mexico. There are but two in- 

 stances of its occurrence cast of the Mississippi (Rhode Island and South 

 Carolina). It resembles »i«u;iCrtwa, but is smaller ; W. 18'o0; B., 4"10. 



206. Grus mezicana (Midi.). Sanduili. ('KANE;'BnowN Cuane. 

 Ad. — Whole top of the head to below tlie eyes covered with rou<rh, minutely 

 warty, dull reddish skin thinly jjvown with short, black "hairs"; plumage 

 brownish gray, with more or less silvery gray and bulTy ochraceous. Iin. — 

 Similar, but wliole head fcatbered, and with more buffy ochraceous in the 

 plumage. " L., 40-00-48-00 ; W., -il-sn ; Tar., 10 -j,", ; B., r)-4T "' ( Ridirw. ). 



Ratuje. — Florida, (leorgia, and northward through the Mississippi Valley 

 to Manitoba; breeds locally throughout its range; winters in the (iulf States 

 from Florida to Texas. 



A'est., of roots, ruslies, weed stalks, etc., on the ground in nuirshy places. 

 E'jij.'i^ two, olive-gray, spotted and blotched with distinct and obscure ciima- 

 mon-brown markings, .'J'.Ki x 2'40. 



"These birds in thoir habits are similar to the Whooping [Crane], 

 but much more numerous. Their loud, modulating, sonorous croak 

 announces their presence, and is often heard during the night as well 

 as the day. 



'"During courtship and the early breeding season llioir actions and 

 antics at times are ludicrous in the extreme, bowing and leaping high 

 in the air, hopping, skipping, and circling about with drooping wings 

 and croaking whoop, an almost indescribable dance and din. in which 

 the females (an exception to the rule) join, all working themselves up 

 into a fever of excitement only equaled by an Indian war dance, and, 

 like the same, it only stops when the last one is exhausted " (Goss). 



Family Aramid.^. Courlans. 



Courlans might be called large Rails with some of the habits of 

 Ilorons. Two species are known, Aramus scolopaceus of South America, 



