^Ic '^ 



GnUIDiE, CRANES. GEN. 223. AEAMID^, COUKLAN. GEN. 239. 271 



tibiffi naked for a great distance ; tarsi scntellate in front ; toes short, webbed at 

 base ; liallux very slwrt, highly elevated. About 14 species of various parts of 

 the world ; only 2 of them American. Most of them fall in the genus Gms; the 

 elegant "demoiselle" cranes of the Old World, Anthrojmides virgo and jMradisce, 

 and the African Balearica pavonina, are the principal exceptions. 



223. Genus GRITS Linnaeus. 

 U {^ %■ WInle or Whoojnng Crane. Adult with the bare part of the head 

 extending ha a, point on the occiput above, on each side Ijelow the eyes, and 

 very hairy. Bill very stout, gonys convex, ascending, that part of the 

 under mandible as deep as the upper opposite it. Adult plumage pure white, 

 with black primaries, primary coverts and alula ; bill dusky greenish ; legs 

 black; head carmine, the hair-like feathers blackish. Young wdth the head 

 feathered; general plumage gray? varied with brown. Length about 

 50 inches ; wing 24 ; tail 9 ; tarsus 12 ; middle toe 5 ; bill 6. Temperate 

 N. Am., but apparently of irregular distribution, not well made out; said 

 to be common in the South Atlantic and Gulf States. Wils., viii, 20, pi. 

 64, f. S : NuTT., ii, 34; Aud., v, 188, pi. 313 ; Bd., 654. . americanus. 

 Brovm or SandJdll Crane. Adult with the bare part of the head forking 

 behind to receive a pointed extension of the occipital feathers, not reaching 

 on the sides below the eyes, and sparsely hairy. Bill moderately stout, with 

 nearly straiglit and scarcely ascending gonys, that part of the under mandible 

 not so deep as the upper at the same place. Adult plumage plumbeous-grnj^, 

 never whitening; primaries, their coverts, and alula, blackish. Young with 

 head feathered, and plumage varied Avith rusty brown. Kather smaller than 

 the last. Temperate N. Am., rare or irregular in the east, very abundant 

 in the south and west. Nutt., ii, 38; Aud., v, 188 (in part), pi. 314; 

 Bd., 655. Also, G. fraterculus Cass, in Bd., 656 (young), canadensis. 



Family ARAMIDiE. Courlan. 



Consisting of a single genus, with probably onlj^ one species, of the warmer 

 portions of America ; closely allied to the rails in all essential points of structure, 

 and perhaps on!}' forming a subfamily of Ballidce. Bill twice as long as the head, 

 slender but strong, compressed, grooved for about half its length, contracted 

 opposite the nostrils, the terminal portion enlarged, and decurved ; nostrils long, 

 linear, pervious ; head completelj^ feathered to the bill ; tibise half bare ; tarsus 

 scntellate anteriorly, as long as the bill ; toes cleft, the hinder elevated ; wings 

 short, rounded, with falcate 1st primary ; tail short, of 12 broad feathers. 



239. Genus AEAMUS Vieillot. 

 V ScolojKiceous Courlan. Crying-hird. Chocolate-brown with a slight oliva- 

 ceous or other gloss, paler on the face, chin and throat, 'most of the plumage 

 sharply streaked with white ; 24-28 long; wing 12-14; tail 6-7; bill and 

 tarsus, each, about 5. Florida. Bonap., Am. Orn. iv, 111, pi. 26 ; Nutt., 

 ii, 68; Aud., v, 181, ph 312; Bd., 657. . scolopaceus var. giganteus. 



