CHAPTER II. 



WATER BIRDS, BY DR. G. SUCKLEY, U. S. A. 



ORDER V. (jrll ALL A i Uri l!iO . WadiugBiids. 



Family GRUIDAE. The Cranes. 

 GRUS CANADENSIS, (Linu.) T e m m . 



Saud-Mll Ci*aue } BroAvil Craue. 



Ardea canadensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1,1766, 234, No. 3.— Gmelin, I, 1788, 620.— Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 



382, No. 36. Severn river. 

 Grus canadensis, " Tesijiinck." Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 273.— Nlttal, Man. II, 1834, 38.— Bon. Consp. II, 1855, 



98.— GONDLACH, Cab. Jour. IV, 1856, 339.— Baikd, Gen. Rep. Birds, 1S58, 655. 

 Cfms pratensis, Bartkam, Travels in Florida, 1791. 

 Gtw americana, AvD. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 441 ; pi. 261.— Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 188 ; pi. 314. (Supposed young.) 



Sp. Ch. — Bill compressed. Lower manible not as deep towards the tip as the upper. Gonys nearly straight ; in the same 

 line with the basal portion of bill. Commissure decidedly curving from beyond the middle to the tip, where it is even, not 

 crenated. Color bluish gray ; the primaries and spurious quills dark plumbeous brown ; the shafts white. Cheeks and chin 

 whitish. Entire top of head (bounded interiorly by a line from commissure along the loifer eyelid) bare of feathers, warty 

 and granulated, thinly beset with short scattered black hairs. Feathers of occiput advancing forward in an obtuse angle ; 

 the gray feathers along this point, and over the auricular region, tinged with plumbeous. Length, 48 ; wing. 22 ; tarsus, 10 ; 

 commissure, C. 



Hob. — Whole of western region of United States. Florida. 



Sand-hill cranes are very abundant on the Nisquall_y plains, Puget Sound, in autumn. 

 They there commence to arrive from their summer breeding grounds about the last week in 

 September, from which time until about the 10th of November, they are quite plentiful. After 

 this they disappear ; probably retiring to warmer latitudes during the cold months. In the 

 fall they are found on all the prairies near Fort Steilacoom, but are not indiiferent to choice of 

 certain spots by preference. These are generally old "stubble fields," or spots of ground 

 that have formerly been ploughed. They rise heavily and slowly from the ground upon being 

 disturbed, and flying in circles at length acquire the desired elevation. When proceeding 

 from one favorite resort to another, or when migrating, their flight is high, and not unfre- 

 quently their approach' is heralded before they are in sight by their incessant whooping clamor. 

 While feeding they are generally silent. The flesh of this species is excellent for the table, 

 and, as Mr. Nuttall observes, much resembling that of the swan in flavor. A young bird, 

 probably of this species, was brought to me in Minnesota as early as June 15. In the vicinity 

 of Fort Steilacoom only stragglers remain to breed. During their migrations they fly in com- 

 panies of from three to four individuals to several dozens. I have rarely seen them in greater 

 numbers together ; company after company succeeding each other, but rarely intermingling — 

 keeping up, as it were, a distinct family organization. — S. 



The brown crane is a common summer resident, arriving at the Straits of De Fuca in large 



