256 
ORDERS OF BIRDS — CRANES, RAILS, AND COOTS 
two inches apart at the tips, it would drive its 
beak into the earth to a depth of. from two to 
three inches, grasp a tuft of grass between them, 
and by main strength deliberately pull it up 
by the roots. A few vigorous shakes sidewise 
dislodged any angle-worms which might have 
been brought up, after which the roots of the 
tuft would be carefully looked over before 
being cast aside. Next in order, the wounded 
earth would be carefully probed and picked 
New York Zoological Park. 
WHOOPING CRANE. 
over. In a few hours, this bird sometimes 
pulled up the grass on a space fifteen feet square, 
and finally disfigured the ground so seriously 
that after every rain the Crane had to be shut up. 
A living full-grown Whooping Crane stands 
4 feet, 3 inches high. Its name is due to its 
wonderfully clear, powerful, and trumpet- 
like call, which is uttered with the beak pointing 
straight upward. When properly delivered, 
the crane’s call consists of two notes, an octave 
apart, one following the other so closely that 
there is no interval, thus: “Quah-KEE-E- 
E-oo!” I believe that a Crane’s trumpet-call 
will carry as far as the roar of a lion. 
All our Cranes are strictly open-country 
birds, and formerly inhabited the fertile, froggy 
prairies and cornfields of the Mississippi valley; 
but the species named above never was really 
numerous anywhere. In travelling, cranes 
always fly in single file, with their long necks 
and legs in a straight line, and in that position 
the length of the bird seems very great. 
The Sandhill Crane 1 is a smaller bird than 
the preceding, always has been more numerous, 
and therefore is much more widely known. In 
color it is a dull bluish-slate, and it has a half- 
bald, dull-red head, like a whooping crane. 
The pioneers who were on the western prairies 
from 1850 to 1870 occasionally saw long lines 
of enormously long birds sailing high in the 
heavens, trumpeting their identity to those un- 
able to see them, or alighting on stilt-like legs 
in the cornfields. In springtime, when the 
birds alighted in the bare fields, and stalked 
about with majestic stride, they seemed fairly 
gigantic. They went far north in spring to 
breed, and on their return trips sought their 
winter home in Texas, Florida, and elsewhere 
along the Gulf coast. 
Cranes in captivity, and wild ones, also, 
often indulge in strange antics. Suddenly, 
and for no apparent reason, one will half-open 
its wings, leap into the air, and begin to dance. 
It bobs and bows, salaams, and courtesies almost 
to the ground, and in sheer delight repeatedly 
leaps into the air. Often the lead of one bird 
is followed by several others, and occasionally 
(as I have myself seen), a whole wild flock of 
fifteen or twenty birds will join in the fandango. 
Whenever the days are cool and clear, 
The sandhill crane goes walking 
Across the field by the flashing weir, 
Slowly, solemnly stalking. 
The little frogs in the tides hear, 
And jump for their lives if he comes near; 
The fishes scuttle away in fear 
When the sandhill crane goes walking. 
The field folk know if he comes that way, 
Slowly, solemnly stalking, 
There is danger and death in the least delay, 
When the sandhill crane goes walking. 
1 Grus mexicana. Height, about 3 feet, 10 inches. 
