beneath white; habits similar to the preceding; common in Southern Europe; rare in the North; occasionally seen in England.

THE GRUIDE OR CRANES.

These are large and stately birds, most of them living exclusively in warm climates. The food is various, comprising insects, reptiles, worms, and fish; some species likewise frequent plowed and newly-planted fields to pick up seeds, as well as living prey. They dwell in fields, marshes, and along the margins of ponds, but always roost in trees, where they also nest, as well as on the ground. When incubation commences, the nest is raised to the height of the body with grass and reeds; they are said to lay but two eggs, on which each alternately broods in a standing posture, the legs striding the nest. They migrate in vast flocks, and perform very extensive periodical journeys, passing along in the higher regions of the atmosphere; they often move in the night, and usually in troops arranged in long triangular lines, guided by the shrill voice of their leader, which, re-echoed by the timorous and unseen ranks, affords often the only indication of the

course of their passage. Subject to less excitement, they pass along silently and at a great elevation in fine weather, but lower their flight, and become clamorous at the approach, or during the existence, of a storm. Milton, describing these migrations, says:

"Part loosely wing the region, part, more wise,

In common, ranged in figure ▷ wedge their way,
Intelligent of seasons, and set forth

Their aery caravan, high over seas

Plying, and over lands with mutual wing,

Easing their flight; so steers the prudent Crane

Her annual voyage, borne on winds the air
Flotes, as they pass, fann'd with unnumber'd plumes.'

Genus GRUS: Grus.-The COMMON CRANE OF EUROPE, G. cinerea, is four feet long; bluishash above; beneath ash-gray. It migrates to the north of Europe and Siberia in spring, remains there and breeds in summer, and in the autumn returns to Africa and Southern Asia for the winter. It feeds on worms, insects, reptiles, mollusca, and sometimes on grain. Its nest is usually made among reeds and tall herbage, in the marshes which it frequents; it, however, occasionally builds on ruined edifices. In its migrations it flies, like wild geese and swans, in the form of a wedge frequently uttering a loud cry.

The AMERICAN CRANE, G. Americana, is four feet six inches long; crested; color bluish-ash; feeds on crabs, shell-fish, eels, and various kinds of fruit. It is stationary from the Carolinas southward; in summer it migrates as far north as New Jersey. It is often called Whooping Crane on account of its wild, sonorous cry, which has been compared to the whoop of savages when rushing to battle. Nuttall says: "In February, and in the early part of the following month, I heard their clamorous cries nearly every morning around the enswamped ponds of West Florida, and throughout Georgia, so that many individuals probably pass either the winter or the whole year, in the southern extremity of the Union. It is impossible to describe the clamor of one of these roosting flocks, which they begin usually to utter about sunrise. Like the howling monkeys of South America, a single individual seemed at first as if haranguing, or calling out to the assembled company, and after uttering a round number of discordant, sonorous, and braying tones, the address seemed as if received with becoming applause, and was seconded with trumpeting hurrahs.”

The SAND-HILL CRANE, G. Canadensis, is forty-eight inches long; color yellowish-gray; found from Mexico to the Arctic Sea. It is called the Brown Crane and also the Canada Crane. Cassin mentions a species in New Mexico, G. fraterculus.

Genus ANTHROPOIDES: Anthropoides. This includes the NUMIDIAN CRANE, A. virgocalled Demoiselle by the French-three feet long; general color slaty-gray; migratory; food, grain, seeds, small fishes, mollusca, and insects. Africa appears to be its home, but it is found in parts of Asia, and is occasionally seen in Southern Europe.

Genus BALEARICA: Balearica. This includes the CROWNED CRANE, B. pavonina—Ardea pavonina of Linnæus; also called the Balearic Crane, from the notion that it was the bird to

THE CARIAMA.

It

which the ancients gave that name. stands four feet high; its color is a bluishslate; it has a loud, hoarse, trumpet-like note, is easily reconciled to captivity, and readily mingles with common poultry; found in Northern and Western Africa.

Genus PSOPHIA: Psophia.-To this belongs the TRUMPETER, called Agami by the natives of tropical America, in the forests of which it is found in flocks; it is twenty-two inches long, and has a loud, hollow cry of too, too, too, too, the sound being made without opening the bill.

Genus CARIAMA: Cariama.—To this belongs the CARIAMA, C. cristatus, found in the lofty plains of Brazil and Paraguay. It is thirty inches long; earthy-brown above, whitish below; it runs with great swiftness, and is exceedingly shy and watchful. It feeds on lizards, insects, and molluscous animals. It is easily domesticated, and will live sociably with the other tenants of the poultry-yard.

Genus ARAMUS: Aramus.-To this belongs the CRYING-BIRD, A. sco

ally in Florida. It is sometimes called Courlan and also Aramus. It feeds on frogs and insects, lives alone or in couples, perches on elevated trees, and has a piercing cry of carau, carau, carau, which may be heard for half a mile.

The most striking character of the Natatores, or Swimming-Birds, is derived from the structure of the feet, which are always palmate, that is, furnished with webs between the toes. There are always three toes directed forward, and these are usually united by a membrane to their extremities; but in some cases the membrane is deeply cleft, and the toes are occasionally quite free, and furnished with a distinct web on each side. The fourth toe is generally but little developed, and often entirely wanting; when present it is usually directed backward, and the membrane is sometimes continued to it along the side of the foot. These webbed feet are the principal agents by which the birds propel themselves through the water, upon the surface of which most of them pass a great portion of their time; and by the same means many species dive to a considerable distance below the surface in search of their food, which consists almost entirely of fish, mollusca, and other small aquatic animals. The feet are generally placed very far back, a position which is exceedingly favorable to their action in swimming and diving, but which renders their progression on the land somewhat awkward. In some instances the feet are situated quite at the hinder extremity of the body, which then assumes an upright position when on land.

The body is generally stout and heavy, and covered with a very thick, close, downy plumage, which the bird keeps constantly anointed with the greasy secretion of the caudal gland, so that it is completely waterproof. The wings exhibit a very great variety in their development. In the Penguins they are reduced to a rudimentary condition, destitute of quills, and covered with a scaly skin, forming flat, fin-like organs; while in some other species the wings are of vast size and power, and the birds pass a great part of their lives in the air. Between these two extremes we meet with every intermediate degree of development. Those species which are endowed with the greatest power of flight are usually incapable of diving, although they frequently take their prey by plunging suddenly into the water, from the air.

The form of the bill is also very variable: in some it is broad and flat, in others deep and com

pressed, and in others long and slender. The mandibles are sometimes sharp and smooth, sometimes furnished with denticulations or lamellæ at the margins. The texture of the bill also varies; but these differences will be referred to in characterizing the families.

Most of these birds live in societies, which are often exceedingly numerous, inhabiting high northern and southern latitudes. Many of them prefer rocky coasts, in the clefts and crannies of which they lay their eggs, often on the bare rock, but generally selecting the most inaccessible