The Bird Book Part 24

A handsome grayish colored species, with long lanceolate plumes on the back, and two or three fine white plumes from the back of the head, like those of the Black-crowned species. Its black head, with tawny white crown and ear coverts, renders it unmistakable. This species nests in colonies or by pairs, like the preceding, and very often in company with other Herons. They lay from three to six eggs, very similar in size, shape and color to those of the Black-crowned Heron.

[Ill.u.s.tration 128: Pale bluish green.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Black-crowned Night Heron. Yellow-crowned Heron.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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CRANES, RAILS, etc. Order VIII. PALUDICOLae

CRANES. Family GRUIDAE

Cranes are large, long-legged, long-necked birds, somewhat resembling Herons. Their structure and mode of living partakes more of the nature of the Rails, however. They are found upon the prairies, where besides sh.e.l.l fish from the ponds, they feed largely upon gra.s.shoppers, worms, etc.

204. WHOOPING CRANE. _Grus americana._

Range.--Interior of North America, breeding from about the lat.i.tude of Iowa northward to the Arctic regions; winters in the Gulf states and southward.

The Whooping Crane is the largest of the family in America, measuring 50 inches or more in length. The plumage of the adults is pure white, with black primaries. The bare parts of the head and face are carmine. It is a very locally distributed species, in some sections being practically unknown, while in a neighboring locality it may be rated as common. They are very shy birds and are not easily obtained. They nest either upon the solid earth or in marshy places over the water. In either case the nest is a very bulky ma.s.s of gra.s.s and weeds from two to three feet in diameter and raised perhaps a foot above the ground. They lay two eggs of a brownish buff color, irregularly blotched with brown, and with fainter marking of gray. Size 3.75 x 2.50. Data.--Torkton, northern a.s.siniboia, northwest Canada. Nest a ma.s.s of marsh hay, three feet in diameter, on the prairie. The birds seen, but very wary. Collector, Cowbry Brown.

205. LITTLE BROWN CRANE. _Grus canadensis._

Range.--North America in the interior, breeding from Hudson Bay and southern Alaska north to the Arctic coast; south in winter to Mexico.

This uniform gray colored Crane differs from the next species only in size, being about three feet in length, while the Sandhill averages three and one-half feet. The eggs cannot be distinguished with any certainty.

[Ill.u.s.tration 129: Whooping Crane. Little Brown Crane.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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[Ill.u.s.tration 130: Brownish buff. EGG OF WHOOPING CRANE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Buff. EGG OF LITTLE BROWN CRANE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Left hand margin.]

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206. SANDHILL CRANE. _Grus mexicana._

Range.--Temperate North America, breeding from the Gulf States, locally north to the southern parts of the British Provinces.

This is the most common and the most southerly distributed member of the family. In some sections of Florida and Texas it is regarded as abundant. They nest in marshy places near secluded ponds. The nests are ma.s.ses of gra.s.s, weeds and roots, generally placed in marshes and entirely surrounded by water. The two eggs are similar to those of the Whooping Crane, but the ground color is lighter. The eggs of the two species cannot always, with certainty, be distinguished. Size 3.75 x 2.40. Data.--Carman, Manitoba, May 31, 1903. 2 eggs. Nest on a knoll in a marsh, hidden by dead rushes and weeds; a flat loose structure of broken rushes and reeds. Collector, Chris Forge.

COURLANS. Family ARAMIDae

207. LIMPKIN. _Aramus vociferus._

Range.--This bird is a native of the West Indies and Central America, but occurs regularly north to the southern portions of Florida.

This strange bird is the only member of its family found in the United States. It may be likened to a large Rail or a small Crane, being apparently, a connecting link between the two. It is about two feet in length, and the plumage is mottled brownish and white. It lives in the marshes, from whence, until late at night, emanate its strange cries, which are likened to those of a child in distress. They nest in the most impenetrable parts of swamps, building their nests of rushes, gra.s.s and weeds, in tangled ma.s.ses of vines a few feet above the ground or water.

They lay from three to eight eggs having a ground color of buff or grayish white and blotched with light brown. Their coloration is very similar to those of the Cranes. Size 2.30 x 1.70. They nest in April and May.

[Ill.u.s.tration 131: Sandhill Crane. Limpkin.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Buffy white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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[Ill.u.s.tration 132: Walter Raine.

NEST AND EGGS OF LITTLE BROWN CRANE.]

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RAILS, GALLINULES and COOTS. Family RALLIDae

Members of this family are almost exclusively frequenters of marshes, where they lead a shy, retiring life and are more often heard than seen.

208. KING RAIL. _Rallus elegans._

Range.--Fresh water marshes of eastern United States from New England and the Dakotas, southward. Very abundant on the South Atlantic coast, in the inland marshes.

This is one of the largest of the Rails, (17 inches in length) and may be known by the richness of its plumage, the breast and wing coverts being a rich cinnamon color. It is almost exclusively a fresh water species and is very rarely found around a salt water marsh. Its nest is built on the ground, in a tuft of gra.s.s and weeds woven about the upright stalks. They lay from five to twelve eggs having a cream colored ground, sparingly speckled with brown and lilac. Size 1.60 1.20.

Data.--Clark County, Missouri, June 6, 1893. 10 eggs. Nest composed of reed stalks; a slightly concave ma.s.s 8 inches across, and only two inches above the water, in a clump of reeds. Collector, Ed. S. Currier.

209. BELDING'S RAIL. _Rallus beldingi._

Range.--Lower California and the islands in the Gulf.

This is a locally confined species, very similar to the preceding but darker and with the flank bars narrower. Its nesting or eggs will not differ from those of the King Rail.

210. CALIFORNIA CLAPPER RAIL. _Rallus obsoletus._

Range.--Salt marshes of the Pacific coast of the United States.

This species is like a dull colored King Rail, with reference to the markings of the back, or a bright colored Clapper Rail, as it has a cinnamon colored breast. It is an abundant species in nearly all the salt marshes along the coast. They make their nests on the higher parts of the marsh, where it is comparatively dry, building them of gra.s.s and strips of rushes. They lay from four to nine eggs of a light buff color, boldly spotted with brown, and with fainter markings of lilac. Size 1.75 1.25. Data.--Palo Alto, Cal., May 1, 1899. Nest of marsh gra.s.s under a small bush on bank of slough. Collector, Ernest Adams.

[Ill.u.s.tration 133: Cream color.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Light buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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