206 WHOOPING CRANE. 



They generally see you long before you perceive them, and so long as 

 they are aware that you have not observed them, they remain silent ; but 

 the moment that, by some inadvertency, you disclose to them your sense 

 of their presence, some of them sound an alarm. For my part, Reader, 

 I would as soon undertake to catch a deer by fair running, as to shoot a 

 Sand-hill Crane that had observed me. Sometimes, indeed, towards the 

 approach of spring, when they are ready to depart for their breeding 

 grounds, the voice of one will startle and urge to flight all within a mile 

 of the spot. When this happens, all the birds around join into a great 

 flock, gradually rise in a spiral manner, ascend to a vast height, and sail 

 off" in a straight course. 



When wounded, these birds cannot be approached without caution, as 

 their powerful bill is capable of inflicting a severe wound. Knowing this 

 as I do, I would counsel any sportsman not to leave his gun behind, 

 while pursuing a wounded Crane. One afternoon in winter, as I was 

 descending the Mississippi, on my way to Natchez, I saw several Cranes 

 standing on a large sand-bar. The sight of these beautiful birds excited 

 in me a desire to procure some of them. Accordingly, taking a rifle and 

 some ammunition, I left the flat-bottomed boat in a canoe, and told the 

 men to watch for me, as the current was rapid at that place, the river 

 being there narrowed by the sand-bar. I soon paddled myself to the 

 shore, and having observed, that, by good management, I might approach 

 the Cranes under cover of a huge stranded tree, I landed opposite to it, 

 drew up my canoe, and laying myself flat on the sand, crawled the best 

 way I could, pushing my gun before me. On reaching the log, I cau- 

 tiously raised my head opposite to a large branch, and saw the birds at a 

 distance somewhat short of a hundred yards. I took, as I thought, an 

 excellent aim, although my anxiety to shew the boatmen how good a 

 marksman I was rendered it less sure than it might otherwise have been. 

 I fired, when all the birds instantly flew ofl* greatly alarmed, excepting 

 one which leaped into the air, but immediately came down again, and 

 walked leisurely away with a drooping pinion. As I rose on my feet, it 

 saw me, I believe, for the first time, cried out lustily, and ran ofi" with 

 the speed of an ostrich. I left my rifle unloaded, and in great haste pur- 

 sued the wounded bird, which doubtless would have escaped had it not 

 made towards a pile of drift wood, where I overtook it. As I approached 

 it, panting and almost exhausted, it immediately raised itself to the full 

 stretch of its body, legs, and neck, rufiled its feathers, shook them, and 



