CRANES, RAILS, ETC.—Order Paludicolæ
CRANES—Family Gruidæ
WHOOPING CRANE
204. Grus americana. 50 in.
Plumage white, with black primaries; the inner wing feathers greatly lengthened, making a flowing train. Head of adult, largely bare, carmine colored, and with a few black hair-like feathers; eye yellow; bill and legs black. Young birds are whitish, mixed with gray. These great birds are not uncommon on the prairies of interior America, where they frequent the edges of marshes and sloughs. They are very wary and their great height enables them to see anyone a long way off, above the marsh grass. They were formerly found on the South Atlantic coast, but are now extremely rare there.
Notes.—A loud whooping scream.
Nest.—On the ground, usually in marshes; it is a bulky mass of grass and weeds, with the hollowed top a foot or more above ground. The two eggs that they lay are brownish-buff, spotted with brown (3.75 × 2.50); May, June.
LITTLE BROWN CRANE
205. Grus canadensis. 36 in.
Like the next and better known species, but smaller and browner, especially on the wings.