WHOOPING CRANE. 437 



known by the name of storks. The younger birds are easily 

 distinguished from the rest by the brownness of their plumage. 

 Some linger in these marshes the whole winter, setting out 

 north about the time the ice breaks up. During their stay, 

 they wander along the marshes and muddy flats of the sea-shore 

 in search of marine worms, sailing occasionally from place to 

 place with a low and heavy flight, a little above the surface ;. 

 and have at such times a very formidable appearance. At 

 times they utter a loud, clear, and piercing cry, which may be 

 heard at the distance of two miles. They have also various 

 modulations of this singular note, from the peculiarity of which 

 they derive their name. When wounded, they attack the 

 gunner or his dog with great resolution ; and have been 

 known to drive their sharp and formidable bill, at one stroke, 

 through a man's hand. 



During winter, they are frequently seen in the low grounds 

 and rice plantations of the southern States, in search of grain 

 and insects. On the lOlh of February, I met with several 

 near the Waccamau river, in South Carolina ; I also saw a 

 flock at the ponds near Louisville, Kentucky, on the 20th of 

 March. They are extremely shy and vigilant, so that it is 

 with the greatest difficulty they can be shot. They sometimes 

 rise in the air spirally to a great height, the mingled noise of 

 their screaming, even when they are almost beyond the reach 

 of sight, resembling that of a pack of hounds in full cry. On 

 these occasions, they fly around in large circles, as if recon- 

 noitring the country to a vast extent for a fresh quarter to 

 feed in. Their flesh is said to be well tasted, nowise savour- 

 ing of fish. They swallow mice, moles, rats, &c, with great 

 avidity. They build their nests on the ground, in tussocks of 

 long grass, amidst solitary swamps, raise it to more than a foot 

 in height, and lay two pale blue eggs, spotted with brown. 

 These are much larger, and of a more lengthened form, than 

 those of the common hen. 



The cranes are distinguished from the other families of their 

 genus by the comparative baldness of their heads, the broad 



