BIRDS OF LO^YER CALIFORNIA. 259 



for with the quick closing of the wings, they round to and 

 fall to one side or, as it sometimes actually appears, in the 

 opposite direction from which they were flying. 



In rare instances the fish escaped (but not if once caught) 

 and then the disappointed pelican would spend but little 

 time at the spot where he had failed, but once more on the 

 wing, begin scanning the bay for food. In traveling from 

 placato place, several fly together in a line; usually the 

 leader stops flapping first, then each in order sails with 

 motionless wings; the flapping of the leader's wings is a 

 signal followed in rotation by each of the others. When 

 journeying in this way they generally fly close to the 

 surface, so close as to all but touch the waves with their 

 wings. 



Great flocks congregate on sandy shores to rest, assumiog 

 various positions. Continually amongst the crowd will be 

 seen, here and there, a head and long bill thrown into the 

 air as though yawning but more probably to swallow a fish 

 concealed in the pouch. The peaceful scene will be turned 

 into one of confusion as a boat sweeps into sight and bears 

 down on them. They commence to move uneasily about, 

 some waddle to the water and begin swimming away, others, 

 after a few awkward jumps, take wing from the beach and 

 the whole flock goes trooping away to another sandspit 

 followed by a few gulls and deserted by the cormorants 

 which had gathered near them. 



I did not find a breeding colony, but was told that they 

 lay on the southern end of Santa Margarita Island. Young 

 birds out fishing for themselves were seen in April. Mr. 

 Anthony found a colony of about five hundred breeding on 

 San Martin Island, and according to Mr. A. M. Ingersoll, 

 they nest also on Los Coronados Islands. A Mexican guide 

 who accompanied me on some of my excursions along the 

 estero, and who was quite observant in points of natural 

 history, related to me in all sincerity an interesting tale of 

 pelicans being killed by striking submerged rocks Avlien 



