PELECANID^ — THE PELICANS — PELECAN US. 135 



adult birds, both in winter and summer, though much paler in the former season. The black 

 along the lower edge of the mandible and the squarish spot on its side are not infrecj^uently 

 entirely absent. The maxillary excrescence varies greatly both in size and shape. Frequently 

 it consists of a single piece, nearly as high as long, its vertical outlines almost parallel, and the 

 upper outline quite regularly convex, the largest specimen seen being about three inches high, 

 by as many in length. More frequently, however, it is very irregular in shape, usually less 

 elevated, and not infrequently with ragged anterior, or even posterior, continuations. This ex- 

 crescence, which is assumed gradually in the spring, reaches its perfect development in the pairing 

 season, and is dropped before or soon after the young are hatched ; simultaneously with the shed- 

 ding of this appendage the nuchal crest falls off, and in its place a patch of short brownish gray 

 feathers appears ; this disappears with the fall moult, when the occiput is entii-ely unadorned, there 

 being neither ci'est nor colored patch. 



The American AVhite Pelican occurs nearly throughout North America, from 

 Panama to the more extreme northern regions. Although found in large numbers in 

 the Fur Country, as well as in the region beyond the Rocky Mountains, it is quite 

 rare on the eastern coast, as well as in the interior between the Atlantic and the 

 Rocky Mountains. Only a few stragglers are met with — and that irregularly and 

 by accident — except on the Ohio and the Mississippi, where their visits, though 

 irregular, are more frequent. 



Captain Blakiston met with this species on the Saskatchewan, and Mr. Murray 

 reports having received one specimen from the Hudson's Bay Region. The former 

 states that the Grand Rapid, at the mouth of the Saskatchewan, is a favorite resort. 

 Mr. Bernard Ross also found it frequenting the Mackenzie River. 



Hearne (" Journey to the Northern Ocean," p. 433) speaks of this species as being 

 numerous in the interior part of the country, but never appearing near the sea-coast. 

 It is said generally to frequent large lakes, and always to make its nest on islands. 

 These birds are so provident for their young that great quantities of fish lie rotting 

 near their nests, and emit such a stench as to be noticed at a considerable distance. 

 The young are frequently eaten by the Indians ; and great quantities of their fat are 

 melted down and preserved in bladders for winter use, to be mixed with pounded 

 flesh ; but this in time becomes very rank. The skin of this bird, which is thick and 

 tough, is frequently dressed by the Indians, and converted into bags, but never into 

 clothing. 



This species is mentioned by Sir John Richardson as being numerous in the inte- 

 rior of the Fur Country, up to lat. 61° ; but he says that it seldom comes within 

 two hundred miles of Hudson's Bay. It usually deposits its eggs on small rocky 

 islands on the brink of cascades, where it is almost entirely secure from approach ; 

 but otherwise it is by no means shy. It flies low and heavily, usually in flocks of 

 from six to fourteen, sometimes abreast, at other times in an oblique line. It is 

 often known to pass close over a building, or within a few yards of a party of men, 

 without exhibiting any signs of fear. It haunts eddies under waterfalls, and devours 

 great quantities of fish. When gorged with food it dozes on the water, and may then 

 be easily captured, as it takes wing at such times only with great difiiculty. It may 

 be most generally seen either on the wing or swimming. 



There are quite a number of well-attested instances of the occurrence of tliis 

 species in different parts of the Provinces, of New England, and of the interior of New 

 York. W. J. Beal ("Naturalist," I. 323) states that in the spring of 1874 a pair 

 of these birds visited the marshes of Cayuga Lake, one of which — a female — was 

 killed. The hunters had never seen anything of the kind about there before. In the 

 stomach were found two of the common Poviotis and the remains of two Bull-heads, 



