188 
General Notes. 
well as from the Upper Yukon, Franklin Bay, and Anderson River, by 
McFarlane, who, as well as other officers of the Hudson’s Bay Company, 
have sent us many of its eggs. 
Notwithstanding its perfect resemblance to G. canadensis in everything 
except size and proportions, (the supposed differences in coloration, etc. 
pointed out by Mr. Allen do not hold good in a large series,) I fully coin- 
cide with Mr. Allen in his view that G. fraterculus is a distinct species, 
since, among numerous specimens of the two which I have examined, I 
have been unable to discover any indications of intergradation, the ex- 
treme measurements of the two being, respectively, as follows, only adults 
being measured : — 
G. canadensis. Wing, 22.00 ; culmen, 5.00 - 6.00 ; tarsus, 9.50- 10.00; 
middle toe, 3.50-4.10. 
G. fraterculus. Wing, 17.75-19.00; culmen, 2.90-3.70; tarsus, 6.70 
- 8.00 ; middle toe, 2.80 - 2.95. 
In the shape and extent of the naked patch on the head there is much 
variation in both species, and I have not been able to discover any differ- 
ence that is constant between them in this respect. As a rule, however, 
and I believe constantly in fully mature specimens, G. fraterculus is of a 
decidedly more bluish cinereous than G. canadensis. 
Below are given the principal references to this species, including some 
of doubtful applicability. 
Grus fraterculus, Cassin. — Little Brown Crane. 
(?) Ardea canadensis , Forst., Phil. Trams., LXn, 1772,409 (Severn 
R.). — Sabine, Franklin’s Jour., 1823, 685. — Richardson, Parry’s 2d 
Voy., 1825, 353. — Sw. & Rich., F. B. A., II, 1831, 373 (“North to the 
shores of the Arctic Ocean”). — Scl., P. Z. S., 1860, 418 (Hudson’s 
Bay). — Blakist., Ibis, Y, 1863, 128 (int. Brit. Am.). 
Grus canadensis , Dall & Bann., Trans. Chicago Ac., I, 1869, 289 (St. 
Michael’s, Alaska). — (?) Taczan., Jour, fur Orn., 1873, 112 (N. E. Si- 
beria). 
(?) Blue Crane , Forst., 1. c. 
(?) Brown Crane , Penn., Arct. Zook, II, 1785, 443. — Lath., Synop., 
111,1785,43. 
Grus fraterculus, Cass., in Baird’s B. N. Am., 1858, 656 (= juv. ; 
New Mexico); ed. 1860, pi. — . — Baird, Cat. N. Am. B., 1859, no. 
480. — Allen, Bull. N. O. C., April, 1880, 123 (Rio Yerde, Mexico.) -r- 
R. Ridgway, Washington, D. C. 
Note on Grus fraterculus of Cassin. — If the Arctic American 
Cranes are all of the kind called Grus fraterculus by Cassin, the species is 
apparently a synonym of G. canadensis, and the common large one needs 
some other name, perhaps G. pratensis, Bartram. Linnaeus based his name 
in 1758 solely on Edwards, pi. 133, and Edwards got his birds mostly from 
British America. The case is like that of the Pedioecetes , as explained 
by Elliot. — Elliott Coues, Washington , D. C. 
