The Sand- bill Crane 359 



him squarely in the heart, and needless to say he 

 was as dead as stale beer. 



The cream of the sport with both species of 

 crane is to be enjoyed on the Pacific side and far 

 to the southward, but not infrequently the sand-hill 

 crane furnishes excellent sport at many points in 

 the " corn belt " of the western states. 



THE SAND-HILL CRANE 

 (Grus canadensis) 



Much smaller than his stately white relative, 

 this crane is possessed of his full share of grace, 

 beauty, and distrust of white man's medicine. 

 The male in perfect plumage is a symphony in 

 gray — in fact, he is a well-dressed gentleman, 

 whose every movement is indicative of self-pos- 

 session and cold reserve. And those desirous Of 

 cultivating his close acquaintance will find their 

 path beset by difficulties. While considerably 

 shorter than the white fellow, his eye is fully 

 as keen and his lean head quite as full of wisdom. 

 In good condition, he is excellent eating, his chief 

 diet, like that of his family, being tender green 

 stuff and ripe grain. 



The shooting of this bird, as followed in the 

 West and Southwest, so closely resembles wild- 

 goose shooting, that a description of one might 

 serve for both. The prime requisites are to get 

 into the line of flight and to conceal oneself in the 



