THE MISSISSIPPI RESERVES 291 



usually gave a dozen rapid wing-beats, and 

 then sailed for a few seconds. If several were 

 together the leader gave the "time" to the 

 others; they all flapped together, and then all 

 glided together. The neck was carried in a 

 curve, like a heron's; it was only stretched out 

 straight like a stork's or bustard's when the 

 bird was diving. Some of the fishing was done, 

 singly or in parties, in the water, the pehcans 

 surrounding shoals of sardines and shrimps, 

 and scooping them up in their capacious bags. 

 But, although such a large, heavy bird, the 

 brown pelican is an expert wing-fisherman also. 

 A pair would soar round in circles, the bill per- 

 haps pointing downward, instead of, as usual, 

 being held horizontally. Then, when the fish 

 was spied the bird plunged down, almost per- 

 pendicularly, the neck stretched straight and 

 rigid, and disappeared below the surface of the 

 water with a thump and splash, and in a couple 

 of seconds emerged, rose with some labor, and 

 flew off with its prey. At this point the pehcans 

 had finished breeding before my arrival — al- 

 though a fortnight later Mr. Job found thou- 

 sands of fresh eggs in their great rookeries west 

 of the mouth of the Mississippi. The herons 

 had well-grown nesthngs, whereas the terns 

 and gulls were in the midst of the breeding, 



