CRANES 



(204) Qrus americana 



(Linn.) (Lat., a crane). 



WHOOPING CRANE; WHITE 

 CRANE. Ads. — Plumage as shown, 

 pure white except for the black 

 primaries. Top of head bare, red 

 and hairy, this extending to a point 

 on the occiput and below the eyes. 

 Inner wing feathers lengthened and 

 flowing. Im. — Head feathered all 

 over; general plumage whitish mixed 

 with brownish. L., 50.00; Ex., 90.00; 

 W., 24.00; T., 9.00; Tar., 12.00; B., 

 6.00; depth at base 1.40. Nest — A 

 bulky mass of weeds on the ground 

 in marshes; two brownish-buff eggs, 

 spotted with brown, 3.75 x 2.50. 



Range — Breeds in Mackenzie and 

 Sask.; formerly south to 111. Win- 

 ters from the Gulf States to South 

 America. 



rude piles of sticks laid haphazard in the crotches. The fear 

 of man is inherent even vdih young in the nest; if we risk 

 our clothes, ignore the squalid surroundings, and climb one 

 of the trees, we will find that all little herons that are able 

 will crawl out on the branches as far from us as possible. 



If we keep our ears open, on nearly any summer night, 

 we may hear the oft-repeated "quarks" of Night Herons as 

 they pass from one pond to another. A crude imitation of 

 this sotmd will usually bring the real heron circHng about to 

 investigate the sham one. 



Order PALUDICOL.E. Cranes, Rails, etc. 



An order comprising several groups of somewhat dissimilar 

 members, represented within our range by the Cranes, 

 Courlans and Rails. However much they may differ in 

 other respects, all the Paludicolse are precocial — that is, 

 they are hatched covered with down and run from the nest 

 almost as soon as out of the egg. 



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