AMEKICAN WHITE PELICAN. 63 



iiterior. it is Llic one we see most t'rt'(|iu'iitly in Sdutlinii < Jntario, 

 and Macoun mentions liavinj;' found it ln'cedini;- aljuiidantly in Lake 

 Winnipegosis. 



Dr. Hatch, in the " Birds ot' .Minnesota,' de.scrihes it as a eonmion 

 summer resident wliieli "local ol)servei-s tVoni all parts ot' the State 

 report from 'occasional' to 'innumerable,' according to the nearness 

 of the observer to the breeding jilaces of the V)irds." The preparations 

 for incubation are mafle about the lUtli of ^lay, in laigc connnunities 

 on islands in the lakes and ponds and almost im]ieneti-al)le marshes, 

 where there are some large old trees, in whic'li they most frequently 

 build their coarse but substantial nests. Tliese are usually ))u]ky 

 from having been added to every year, and consist of weeds, \ines 

 and sticks, piled together carelessly around a deep depression, in 

 which is deposited the three pale greenish or Ijluish eggs. It is not 

 an uncommon sight to see one or more of these nests on the same 

 tree in which are a numlier of heron nests, anrl tlie o\\ners seem to 

 li\e in harmony. 



When the young are sutiiciently grown, they gatliei- into immen.se 

 flocks in unfrequented sections, and remain until the ice-lid has closed 

 over their supply of food, when they go away, not to rrtuin till tin,' 

 ■cover is lifted up in the spring. 



Family PELECANID^. 



Subgenus CYRT0PELICAXU>S Reich KMSAfn. 



PELECANU8 ER YTHRORH YNCHOS (;mkl. 



•"^•'i American "White Pelican. (Ii'-'i) 



White; occiput ;inil Ijieast, ycllf)\\' ; ])iiinaries. tlieii' covcrt.s. l)ii.st;ir<l (jviills 

 -and many secondaries, black; bill, sac, lores and feet, yellow. Lengtli, about 4 

 feet: expanse, 7-9; wing, 2; bill, 1 or more: tail. !,, noi inally •24-featIiei'ed. 



H.\B. — Temperate North America, north in tlif interior to a1>out Lat. (>1. 

 south to Central America; now rare or accidental in the noith-eastern States; 

 •abundant in the Middle Province and along the (iulf foast : common on tlie 

 coast of California and western Mexico. 



Nest, on the ground or in a low hush near the water. 



Kggs, one to three, dull white. 



Early in the month of ^Nlay, 1864, five of these laige, odd-looking 

 birds were obsei'ved on Hamilton Bay, and were accorded the atten- 



