260 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



fishing in shallow water. The dead birds he had reference 

 to were probably those mentioned by Mr. Belding as having 

 been " nearly exterminated by disease in February, 1882," 

 at the Cape region. Mr. Anthony observed a pelican at 

 San Martin Island that had the upper mandible splintered 

 *' so that it hung down upon her breast in two or three long 

 strips," supposed to have been caused by striking a hidden 

 rock when plunging for fish. 



36. Fregata aquila (Linn.) 



Man-o'-War Bird. — The first birds sighted as we neared 

 land approaching Magdalena Bay, were the frigate pelicans, 

 which are known to some as " storm birds." The superin- 

 tendent of one of the guano islands in the Gulf told me that 

 the Yaqui Indians whom he employed, regarded the pres- 

 ence of many of these birds in their vicinity as the certain 

 forerunner of a storm, and would refuse to work in the boats^ 

 on such days. The Mexicans call them " tijeras'' (scissors), 

 from the scissor-like movements of their two long outer 

 rectrices. When seen for the first time at a distance, the 

 tail might be mistaken for long legs extending behind in 

 the manner of a flying heron. 



Going over to Santa Margarita Island from Magdalena 

 Island on January 14, 1888, I saw many of these birds on 

 the wing, some of them idly floating at an immense height, 

 so high as to be almost invisible, higher than I have ever 

 seen hawks (Bateo) sailing. Anchoring near shore, w© 

 waited until morning before landing. From the boat, the 

 mangroves spoken of under the subject of cormorants, could 

 be seen fairly covered with birds and a long whirliDg column 

 of others on the wing extended far skyward. Birds were con- 

 tinually coming and going from this place, but none passed 

 within gun-shot of the boat, and during my excursions by 

 boat, more than five hundred miles in all, no man-o'-war 

 bird came near enough for a shot. On the wing they sail 

 much of the time, but when they flap the strokes of their 

 long wings are slow and willowy. They are by far the most 



