WHOOPING CRANE. 
25 
exception of the hill and lef^s being' red ; like those of 
the present, the year old birds are said also to he tawny. 
It is highly probable that the species described by 
Oatnralists as the brown crane {ardea Canadensis^ is 
nothing more than the young of the whooping crane, 
their descriptions exactly corresponding with the latter. 
In a Hock of six or eight, three or four are usually of 
that tawny or reddish brown tint on the back, scapulars, 
nnd wing-coverts; but are evidently yearlings of the 
tynooping <;rane, and dilfer in nothing but in that and 
yize from the others. They are generally live or six 
inches .shorter, and the primaries are of a brownish 
cast. 
The whooping crane is four feet six inches in length, 
from the point of the bill to the end of the tail, and, 
when standing erect, measures nearly live feet ; the bill 
is six inches long, and an inch and a half in thickness, 
straight, extremely sharp, and of a yellowi.sh brown 
Colour ; the irides are yellow ; the forehead, whole 
crown, and cheeks, are covered with a warty skin, 
thinly interspersed with black hairs ; these become 
tliickly set towards the base of tbe bill; the hind- 
iwd is ot an ash colour ; the rest of the plumage, pure 
Ji^hitc, the primaries excejiled, which are black ; from 
’■“•’t of each wing rise numerous large flowing 
cathers projecting over the tail and tips of the n ings ; 
of these are broad, drooping, and- pointed 
rvebl *^1 t>f them are also loosely 
the n t libres curling inwards, like those of 
terriuk. '* wi 1 seem to occupy the place of the 
black \ naked part of tbe thighs are 
or strong ; the hind toe seems rarely 
nrr,l>Qi.i ^ the hard ground, though it may 
^eei. ■ ^ri preventing the bird from sinking too. 
oeep in the mire. 
