THE WHOOPING CRANE. 
19T 
so much developed as in the old birds. The skin of the head is red ; the bill 
brownish-black, as are the feet. Chin and sides of the head greyish-white. 
The plumage generally is bluish-grey, but the feathers are largely tipped and 
margined with yellowish-brown ; the primary quills and their coverts dark 
brown towards the end, but with brownish- white shafts ; the abdomen pure 
greyish-blue. 
As the bird advances in age, the yellowish-brown disappears, and the 
general colour of the plumage becomes pure bluish-grey, which ultimately 
changes to white. 
The trachea, which is 13 inches long to its entrance between the crura of 
the furcula, passes into a cavity in the sternum, where it curves so as to 
describe two-thirds of a circle, returns on the right side, and enters the tho- 
rax by curving backwards. The cavity in the sternum is 2 inches long, with 
an equal depth, and a breadth of £ inch. The ridge of the keel is at its fore 
part I in breadth, and contracts to J inch at its junction with the angle of 
the furcula, which is continuous with it. The gizzard is of moderate size ; 
the intestine, which is thin and small, measures 5 feet in length. Boston 
specimen. 
FAMILY XXXV. CH AR ADRIIN JE. PLOVERS. 
Bill short, straight, subcylindrical, obtusely pointed ; upper mandible with 
its dorsal line straight for half its length, afterwards convex ; nasal groove 
bare, extended along two-thirds of the length of the bill. Head of moderate 
size, rather compressed, rounded in front. Eyes large. Neck rather short ; 
body ovate, rather full. Plumage soft, blended, somewhat compact above ; 
wings long, pointed, with the first quill longest. Tail of moderate length, 
somewhat rounded, or with the middle feathers projecting, of twelve feathers. 
(Esophagus of moderate width ; stomach roundish, compressed, very muscu- 
lar, with the epithelium dense and rugous ; intestine rather long, and of 
moderate width, with rather long coeca. A single pair of inferior laryngeal 
muscles. Nest on the ground, shallow; eggs generally four, large, pyriform, 
spotted. Young densely covered with down, and able to walk immediately 
after birth. 
Vol. V. 
27 
