46 HERON. 



eggs, of a dusky white, marked with blotches of brown, for one- 

 third at the larger end, the smaller rather pointed ; they form the 

 nests by collecting together, on an eminence, a heap of dry grass, 

 or such like material, nearly as high as the belly is from the ground; 

 and when they cover the eggs, for the purpose of hatching them, they 

 stand over this eminence, bearing their bodies and wings upon the 

 eggs; in this imitating the Flamingo, and, perhaps, many other 

 long-legged water birds : the male watchfully traverses, backwards 

 and forwards, at a small distance, during the time of the female's 

 sitting, but we are not certain whether he takes his turn or not. This 

 species frequents the pine woods in Georgia, chiefly near the sides of 

 ponds, and is called the Sandhill Crane. 



Mr. Bartram makes the above to be considerably larger than our 

 description; his words are, "this bird is about six feet in length, 

 " from the toes to the extremity of the beak when extended, and the 

 " wings expand eight or nine feet; it is above five feet high when 

 " standing erect," &c. : and in another place, talking of their regular 

 and elegant evolutions in the air, in flowing language, he adds, that 

 " when these birds move their wings in flight, their strokes are slow, 

 " moderate, and regular; and even, when at a considerable distance, 

 " or high above us, we plainly hear the quill feathers, their shafts 

 " and webs upon one another creak as the joints or working of a 

 " vessel in a tempestuous sea." The flesh is by some thought tolerably 

 good, but is much esteemed when made into soup, and is then 

 said to be excellent. 



Mr. Abbot says, they frequent pine woods in pairs, or small com- 

 panies, when they fly high ; their note is allowed to be a sign of 

 clear and cold weather; their flesh reckoned, by some, good eating. 



