SANDHILL CRANE. 
77 
SANDHILL CRANE. 
BROWN CRANE. 
Grus mexicana. 
Char. Similar to the Little Brown Crane, but larger. Length about 
4 feet. 
and Eggs. Similar to the smaller race. The eggs larger • 4 00 
X 2.45. 
This species, scarcely inferior to the americana in magni- 
tude, visits all parts of the fur countries in summer up to the 
shores of the Arctic Sea, and is indeed, according to the 
season, spread more or less throughout North America, having 
been observed in Mexico, Louisiana, and Florida. It also 
probably breeds in the interior of the continent, as Major 
ong saw it in the Illinois country on the 15th of July. As 
early as the 7 th of February Kalm observed flocks passing 
over New Jersey and Pennsylvania on their way either to the 
orth or West; but as the Atlantic coast has become more 
settled and populous, these shy birds have, for the most part, 
a tered their route, and now proceed more within the wilder 
^terior of the continent. In May they are seen about Hudson 
; and like the Whooping Crane, which they resemble in 
tuanners, they nest on the ground, laying two eggs, of an oil 
green, irregularly and rather thickly spotted with yellowish 
rown and umber, the spots confluent and dark on the greater 
• The flesh is accounted good food, resembling that of the 
'van ( Cygnus buccinator) in flavor. 
<:anad surprising that the older writers should have treated 
SenerT^-^ as one species, for in appearance and in 
two m '®*'’'bution they are very similar, though the larger of the 
■while termed a Southern race, as it breeds south to Florida, 
forme stnaller race breeds north to the Arctic regions; but both 
are found on the Western plains. 
dant°'lf valley of the Mississippi these birds are very abun- 
eastwarH an occasional wanderer, they are seen to the 
of the T D Georgia and Florida only. One example 
October 1889 Crane was shot in Rhode Island during 
