122 NESTS AND EOGS OF 



the last few days of May or first of June. The site for the nest which is to contaia 

 the two eggs which this hird always lays is usually on the grassy flats, where the 

 dryer portions or the slight knolls afford them suitable places. The nest is fre- 

 quently a mere hollow in the ground, and is commonly lined with more or less 

 coarse grass stems and straws. In one instance a nest was found on a bare flat, and 

 was lined with a layer of straws an inch deep, all of which must have been brought 

 for some yards; this is unusual, however. The eggs vary in ground color from pale 

 greenish clay to buffy brown or warm brownish, and the entire surface is irregularly 

 marked with spots and blotches of chocolate-brown, rather sparsely distributed 

 chiefly at the apex. The size varies from 3.70x2.40, 3.72x2.40, 3.71x2.41, representing 

 the maximum; 3.26x2.28, 3.40x2.35, 3.33x2.21 representing the minimum in a series of 

 twenty-five specimens. 



206. SANDHILL CRANE. Grus mexicana (Mull.) Geog. Dist.— Southern half 

 of North America; now rare near the Atlantic coast, except in Georgia and Florida. 



The Southern Sandhill Orane, Common Brown or Sandhill Crane, as it is var-< 

 iously called, is found in the United States chiefly in the Mississippi Valley west to 

 the Pacific coast and south into Mexico and eastward along the Gulf coast to Florida 

 and Georgia. It is irregularly distributed and apparently breeds in sufBciently mild 

 regions throughout its range. It has been found nesting in Michigan, is reported 

 breeding in Northern Ohio, and is known to breed on the table-lands of Colorado. 

 Mr. Stuart says that in various regions of Florida, this species nests during the 

 months of February, March and April. The nests are usually built in shallow, 

 grassy ponds, which are common in the pine woods and prairies of that State. 

 They are flat and composed of a mass of grass, weeds, roots, etc., slightly elevated 

 above the water, oftentimes not more than two or three inches. On this structure 

 two eggs are deposited. Mr. Stuart remarks that the young birds are able to follow 

 the parents soon after being hatched. The eggs are ashy-yellow, with a buffy tinge, 

 spotted and blotched with brown, reddish-brown and various shades 

 of gray. The average size is 3.98x2.44. Two eggs in my cabinet from Florida 

 measure 3.85x2.35, 3.82x2.36. 



207. LIMPKIN. Aramus gtffanteus (Bonap.) Geog. Dist. — Florida; coast of 

 Gulf of Mexico; Greater Antilles, south to Costa Rica. 



The Courlans are large, Rail-like birds and are in fact very closely allied to the 

 true Rails, with but a slight difference in their external structure. There is one 

 genus with two species, inhabiting the warmer parts of America. The Brazilian 

 Courlan, A. scolopaceus (Gmel.), occurs in Eastern South America, while the Limp- 

 kin, which holds a place in the North American fauna, is found in the Greater 

 Antilles, portions of Central America, with only a restricted distribution in Florida, 

 It is called Crying Bird from its loud and startling note which is said to be not unlike 

 the cry of a child in distress. Mr. Thomas H. Jackson met with this species breeding 

 in the subtropical wilds of the Ocklawaha river in Florida. He states that this bird 

 chooses for a nesting place a secluded spot on the banks of a river or slough. Sev- 

 eral pairs often nest close together in the manner o^ Herons, though isolated nests 

 are frequently observed. The nest is made of pieces of dead vines, dry leaves and 

 old vegetation of various kinds loosely constructed and generally bedded on a mass 

 of vines, from five to eight feet from the ground. The usual complement of eggs 

 laid is five or six; four and seven are not uncommon numbers. Fourteen sets in Mr. 

 Jackson's cabinet consist of eight sets of six, one of five, two of seven, two of four 

 and one of three eggs. In size, shape and texture of shell they resemble those of the 



