288 POULTRY AND WILD BIRDS 
‘pumping ” sounds that we may hear a long distance from his haunts. 
The back is mostly brown; a velvety black streak on the side of the 
neck; under parts buffy with darker streaks; wings and tail short; 
AMERICAN BITTERN SANDHILL CRANE 
billlarge and pointed. A beautifully colored but clumsy looking creature. 
Common S.R. 
tgt Least Bittern. S.R. zo1 Green Heron. Rare S.R. 
194 Great Blue Heron. M.andS.R. 202 Black-crowned Night Heron. 
196 American Egret. M. S.R. 
Crane Family. — Very large birds with very long neck and long legs, 
inhabiting prairies, and marshes. They are considered good eating, 
and are prized as game birds. 
204 Whooping Crane. M.andS.R. 206 Sandhill Crane. M. and S.R. 
205 Little Brown Crane. M. 
Rail Family. — Legs only moderately long, bill rather short, toes 
long. The rails live in marshy places, but the feet of coots are partially 
webbed, and they have the swimming habits of ducks. 
212 Virginia Rail. Length 93 inches. 
Lives and nests in swamps and marshes and is seldom seen but often 
heard. The morning and evening notes are a succession of grunting 
sounds like those of a hungry pig, and during the breeding season, the 
