North American Birds Eggs. 



67 

 127. California Brown Pelican. Prlrntu iis cnUuiniinis. 



Riiiiue. — PaciHc t-oast from British Coluiiihia south to the Gahipagos Isiaiuls. 



This bird is simihu- to the preceding, hut hirger and the pouch is rechlish. 

 They breed abundantly on the Coronado Ishinds and southward. Their habits, 

 nesting hal)its and eggs are the same as those of the Brown Pelican. Size of the 

 three or four chalky white eggs is ,S.10 x l.i)5. Data.— Coronado Ishinds, Calif., 

 Mar. 28, 18i»7. Three eggs. Nest of sticks, lined with green leaves, located on 

 the ground. Collector, H, McConville. 



MAN-O'-WAR BIRDS. 

 (28. Man-o'-War Bird. Fr((j(it(i (njin'hi . 

 Range. — Tropical seas, north regularly 

 Gulf coasts, casually farther. 



Family FREGATIDAE. 



in America to the South Atlantic and 



Man-o'-War Birds or "Fri- 

 gates,"' as they are often called, 

 are remarkable birds in many re- 

 spects. In comparison with 

 their weight they have the larg- 

 est expanse of wing of any known 

 bird. Weighing only about four 

 / \ pounds they have an extent of 



j ! from seven to eight feet, their 



wings being extremely long and 



pointed. The length of the bird 



' is about 40 inches, of which the 



. tail comprises about 18 in., 10 



inches of this beingforked. They 



have a large Itright orange gular 



. ,- sac, a long, hooked bill, and 



'*'**^ small slightly webbed feet. 



CWl^ijg J Their powers of flight combine 



the strength of the Albatrosses 

 anil the grace of the Terns. They are very poor swimmers and do not dive, so 

 are forced to procure their food by preying upon the Gulls and Cormorants, 

 forcing them to drop their fish, which the pirates catch before it reaches the 

 water. They also feed upon Hying fish, catching them in the air, whither they 

 have been driven by their enemies in their natural element. They nest in large 

 colonies on some of the Bahama Islands and on some of the small Florida Keys. 

 Their nests are small frail platforms of sticks and twigs and the single egg is 

 laid in March and April. It is white and has a smooth surface. Size 2.80 x 1.90. 

 Data.— Key Verde, Bahamas, Mar. 6, 1889. Single egg. Nest a frail affair of 

 sticks on a cactus. Collector, D. P. Ingraham. 



Order V. ANSERES. 

 DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS. Family ANATIDAE. 



The birds comprising this family are of greatly varying sizes, but all have 

 webbed feet, and generally the bill is broader than high, and is serrated on the 

 edges or provided with gutters to act as a strainer in assisting the birds to gather 

 their food. 

 129. American Merganser, Merganser american us. 



Range. — Nortli America, breecling from the northern bortler of the United 

 States northward. 



The three species of Mergansers are almost exclusively fish eating birds. 

 Therefore their tiesh is unpalatable and they are known as "Fish Ducks." They 

 are also sometimes called "Saw-bills" I)ecause of the teeth-like serration on both 

 the upper and the under mandibles. I'nlike the other species of ducks, their 

 bills are long, sleniler antl rounded instead of being l)road and Hat: it is also 

 hooked at the tip. Like the Cormorants, they often pursue and catch fish under 

 the water, their teeth-like bills enabling them to firmly hold their prey. 



m 



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