37° REPORT OK THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



With regard to cranes, rails, gallinules, etc., the Paludicolae, I have followed 

 the same plan, and for a similar reason I have indulged, also, in but little more 

 than brief mention of the bitterns, loons, grebes, gulls and terns. 



It seems quite probable that under proper protection our shore birds will 

 increase to a considerable extent in some of the more sparsely settled localities — 

 sufficiently so, at least, to afford the sportsman of moderate desires a fair bag in a 

 day's shooting. 



The greater yellow legs ( Totanus melanoleucus) is abundant in every part of 

 the St. Lawrence region, and so is its congener "yellow legs" (Totanus flavipes), the 

 latter being smaller in size. 



Markings. "No rusty; upper tail coverts mostly white; tail barred with 

 black and white or gray; above, black margined with whitish; below, white 

 and black." 



The long-billed curlew (Numenius longirostris) is common here, and so also is 

 the Hudsonian curlew (Numenius liudsonicus). Both species are plenty in their 

 season, every marsh having its contingent. Occasionally, a specimen of the 

 Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis) is taken, but not often. 



The killdeer (Oxyechus vociferus) is too common the country over and too 

 well known to make a written description at all necessary. 



The sand-hill crane (Grus mexicana) is common to the entire St. Lawrence valley. 



The king rail (Rallus elegans) abounds here, together with the Carolina rail 

 (Por sana Carolina) . 



The Florida gallinule (Gallinula galeata), known also as the "American 

 gallinule," is a frequenter of the entire Thousand Island region. By some of our 

 sportsmen this species is known as the " water chicken," and by others, as 

 the "water rail." The most common local name, however, for this bird is the 

 " mud hen." 



Occasionally, a specimen of the pomarine jaeger (Stercorarius pomarius) is taken 

 in this locality, but not often. Mr. James E. Stanley has a very fine specimen 

 in his collection. 



The American coot (Fulica americana) is common all along the St. Lawrence river. 



Bitterns. 



Two of the bittern family are common to our swamps and marshes — the 

 American bittern (Botaurus /entiginosus), locally called a " schytepoke," and the 

 least bittern (Ardetta exilis). % 



