WILD GEESE, CRANES, AND SWANS. 219 



if it were a dagger. I have had a dog that had 

 never seen crane before go in to catch one that 

 was winged, hut he came out again after getting 

 one stroke. The white crane is not nearly as 

 numerous as the sand-hill. Its habits are the 

 same, but there are only from eight to twelve 

 in a flock. I never saw a nest of this crane, 

 and believe it never builds in Illinois. 



Both the cranes are fine eating. The meat is 

 dark, and the breast, when well hung and properly 

 cooked, is as fine as the best venison. At one 

 time 1 thought they were good for nothing, but 

 a circumstance happened which changed my opinion 

 altogether. I was out shooting pinnated grouse 

 late in the fall with a companion, and we camped, 

 or rather took shelter, slept, and cooked in a herds- 

 man's hut which had been deserted. The cattle 

 had been driven away, and the hut was tenant- 

 less. It was on the Delavan prairie. I killed a 

 sand-hill crane, and hung it on the fence by the 

 hut. It remained there eight or nine days and 

 as many frosty nights. We had good sport, 

 plenty to eat, and forgot all about the crane. 

 But on the evening of one day, on which we had 

 sent all our game away in the afternoon, it was 

 found that by an oversight we had reserved none 



