140 CRANES, RAILS, AND COOTS 



it is very near it. In view of its range from the Arctic Barren 

 Grounds to the Gulf of Mexico, there is not the sUghtest 

 chance that it can be sufficiently protected from shooting to 

 prevent its extermination about 1934. 



As seen with its wings closed, the visible plumage of this 

 grand bird is all snowy white. When the wings are spread, 

 however, it is found that the largest feathers, called the pri- 

 maries, are jet black. The upper tail coverts form a plume that 

 arches upward over the tail, and gives the bird a very jaunty 

 air. The top of the head is bare of feathers, and the rough 

 skin has a dull-red glow. The eye is big and keen, and the 

 bill is long, strong and rather blunt on the end, for digging 

 angle-worms out of the ground, not for spearing fish. 



The strength of the beak and neck of the Whooping Crane 

 in the New York Zoological Park is truly remarkable. The 

 bird roams at will in a grassy meadow of about two acres in 

 extent. Soon after it attained full growth, it was noticed 

 that after every rain it would vigorously attack the grass. 

 With mandibles two inches apart at the tips, it would drive 

 its beak into the earth to a depth of from two to three inches, 

 grasp a tuft of grass between them, and by main strength de- 

 liberately pull it up by the roots. A few vigorous shakes side- 

 wise dislodged any angle-worms which might have been 

 brought up, after which the roots of the tuft would be care- 

 fully looked over before being cast aside. Next in order, the 

 wounded earth would be carefully probed and picked over. 

 In a few hours, this bird sometimes pulled up the grass on 

 a space fifteen feet square, and finally disfigured the ground 

 so seriously that after every rain the Crane had to be shut up. 



