Among the Water Fowl 



have I approached a grassy slough in the breed- 

 ing-season without finding them in evidence, and 

 wherever one drives on the bare dry prairie, sooner 

 or later the little dark friend is almost sure to put 

 in an appearance. 



For convenience, though it is not scientifically 

 one of the Gulls, I may, in this connection, speak 

 of a bird that is related to them, and in some ways 

 resembles them, — the great White Pelican. I have 

 never discovered their breeding-place in Dakota, 

 which is said to be some low island in a lake, 

 where they lay three or four great white eggs in a 

 hollow in the sand. But we found them frequent- 

 ing most of the large lakes that we visited. The 

 size of the bird is impressive. I think that, per- 

 haps excepting the Swan, it is decidedly the biggest 

 bird of North America. It is nearly as tall as a 

 man, has a stout, heavy body, and enormous bill, 

 and a stretch of wings of between eight and nine 

 feet. Riding out on the lake, they look almost 

 like yachts at anchor. Such size makes them ap- 

 pear near even when they are really far out from 

 shore. It was a fine sight one day when I saw 

 seventy of them in a V-shaped flock, soar over a 

 lake and circle down till they rested upon the 

 water. 



One of our company was anxious to secure a 

 Pelican for his cabinet, and at last he saw a chance 

 to approach one perched on a rock a little way 

 out in the lake. A calf that was determined to 

 follow him and see the sport very nearly prevented 

 his success, but he managed to stalk and secure 

 the great bird. It was a sight indeed to see him 



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