CHAPTER II. 
WATER BIRDS, BY DR. G. SUCKLEY, U. S. A. 
ORDER y. GRALLAIORES. Wading Birds. 
Family GRUIDAE.— The Cranes. 
GRUS CANADENSIS, (Linn.) Temm, 
Sand-hill Crane ; Brown Crane. 
Ardea canadensis, Linn, Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 234, No 3.— Gmelin, I, 1788, 620.— Forster, Phil. Trans, LXII, 1772, 
382, No. 36. Severn river. 
Grvs canadensis, “ Temminck.” Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 273.— Nutt all, Man. II, 1834, 38.— Bon. Consp. II, 1855, 
98.— Gundlach, Cab. Jour. IV, 1856, 339.— Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, 1858, 655. 
Gras pratensis, Bartram, Travels in Florida, 1791. 
Grus americana, Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 441; pi. 261 .—Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842,188; pi. 314. (Supposed young.) 
Sp. Ch.—B ill compressed. Lower mandible not as deep towards the tip as the upper. Gonys nearly straight; in the same 
line with the basal portion of bill. Commissure decidedly curving from beyond the middle to the tip, where it is even, not 
crenated. Color bluish gray; the primaries and spurious quills dark plumbeous brown; the shafts white. Cheeks and chin 
whitish. Entire top of head (bounded inferiorly by a line from commissure along the lower eyelid) bare of feathers, warty and 
granulated, thinly beset with short scattered black hairs. Feathers of occiput advancing forward in an obtuse angle; the gray 
feathers along this point, and over the auricular region, tinged with plumbeous. Length, 48; wing, 22; tarsus, 10; commissure, 6. 
Hab .—Whole of western region of United States Florida. 
Sand-hill cranes are very abundant on the Nisqually plains, Puget Sound, in autumn. They 
there commence to arrive from their summer breeding grounds about the last week in Septem¬ 
ber, from which time until about the 10th of November, they are quite plentiful. After this 
they disappear: probably retiring to warmer latitudes during the cold months. In the fall 
they are found on all the prairies near Fort Steilacoom, but are not indifferent to choice of 
certain spots by preference. These are generally old “stubble fields,” or spots of ground that 
have formerly been ploughed. They rise heavily and slowly from the ground upon being 
disturbed, and flying in circles at length acquire the desired elevation. When proceeding from 
one favorite resort to another, or when migrating, their flight is high, and not unfrequently 
their approach js heralded before they are in sight by their incessant whooping clamor. While 
feeding they are generally silent. The flesh of this species is excellent for the table, and, as 
Mr. Nuttall observes, much resembling that of the swan in flavor. A young bird, probably of 
this species, was brought to me in Minnesota as early as June 15. Ip. the vicinity of Fort 
Steilacoom only stragglers remain to breed. During their migrations they fly in companies of 
from three to four individuals to several dozens. I have rarely seen them in greater numbers 
together; company after company succeeding each other, but rarely intermingling—keeping up, 
as it were, a distinct family organization.—S. 
The brown crane is a common summer resident, arriving at the Straits of De Fuca in large 
