774 The Sand-Hill Crane. [ November, 
a constant devotion; this is the only instance in which I have 
seen one of these birds attach itself to any other animal in the 
grounds, 
I have never observed these birds to eat grass. When they 
were abundant here in the wild state, they were considered very 
_ destructive to the winter wheat after it had sprung up and attained 
a considerable growth in the fall. I have seen hundreds together 
`on a wheat field in November, but I was so careless an observer 
then that I cannot tell whether they took the blades of the plant 
or the decayed seed or roots. The only food I have observed 
them to take in my grounds was maize and insects. 
There are two ponds of water in the grounds, in which there 
are small frogs, but I have never seen them step into the water or 
hang about them as if hunting for food. Others seem to have 
proved that in the wild state they habitually feast on frogs and 
small snakes, but if they do this in domestication it has escaped 
_ my observation. 
When these birds were eight years old, ihat: is two years ago 
last spring, both laid eggs—two each—both eggs were laid on the 
bare ground without the least attempt to make a nest, and neither 
attempted to set upon the eggs, though one of them stood about 
them for a,few days as if to guard them, and made a great outcry 
if any one came near. The next year (1879) they again laid two 
eggs each, on the naked ground as before, without any nest. — 
This time one sat upon her eggs with apparent devotion for three 
days, when, as if appreciating that it was labor lost, she left them _ 
_ without further attention. 
Last summer, through the kindness of Dr. Row, of the Chi- 
cago Field, I obtained a male bird, one year old, as I understood, 
and placed him in the grounds with the others. He was not- 
quite as large as the adult females. He manifested no disposition . 
to associate with either of them. All three wandered about the 
grounds separately, though the females when they chanced to 
meet the youngster treated him as none? they regarded him as 
an intruder. 
In October last one of the imale; was killed by a mink re 
ate off the head and part of the neck, leaving the body untouched. — a 
: (The same rascal no doubt killed a pair of Hawaiian geese which 4 
_ I valued above price.) I had it cooked, and though nine ye 
on utd found it tender and of excellent flavor. 
