492 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 56. 



nessed the successful capture of a pelican by a sea lion, as is elsewhere 

 described, and, at another time, found the floating body of a pelican 

 which had evidently been destroyed in the same way. Such muti- 

 lated bodies are said to be found occasionally on the beaches. How- 

 ever, unless a pelican were hampered by previous injury or weakness, 

 it is not often that a "lobo" could make a successful capture. A 

 young pelican which I kept in confinement was sometimes allowed to 

 swim in the water when large sharks were near. It was very suc- 

 cessful in detecting the approach of a shark, and would fly from place 

 to place as far as the line permitted, while followed by the shark. 

 The fear of the animal was probably founded upon a real danger, but 

 at the same time served to protect the bird from actual capture. It 

 was observed that v/hen a school of anchobetas appeared, breaking 

 the sm-face of the water for acres, the pelicans and gannets would not 

 always plunge into it at once, but would fii'st circle about for several 

 minutes, and it was presumed that this was done in order to recon- 

 noiter for the detection of dangerous enemies. The question of the 

 damage done by the lobos is of especial interest, since the extermina- 

 tion of these forms has been suggested. All the evidence and many 

 observations in relation to this question have been fully discussed in 

 a previous report where it was recommended that the sea lion be 

 utilized as an asset, but not treated as a subject for extermination. 



The chief enemy of the pelican in modern times is man. Many 

 birds have been kiUed for the feathers, of which the pelican possesses 

 a very thick coat. At Pacasmayo I was told on reliable authority 

 that many fishermen and guano laborers went out to the islands with 

 straw mattresses and returned with feather beds. The eggs of guano 

 birds have in past times been taken in vast numbers partly for food, 

 but more especially for the use of the albumen in the clarifying of 

 wines. Such ruthless destruction is forbidden by the Government, 

 and has been practically stopped. However, about 1907, a boat 

 that was captured by a Government cutter, was found to be carrying 

 nearly 20,000 eggs. 



The serious decline of the pelican flocks is, I am sure, to be attrib- 

 uted more particularly to the disturbance of the rookeries in the ex- 

 traction of guano, as will be discussed below in the consideration of 

 the economic significance of the pelicans as producers of commercial 

 guano. 



ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF THE PELICAN, 



The pelican is actually one of the two most important guano birds 

 of the coast, but its value is undoubtedly far less at the present time 

 than in the past. Two considerations should be kept in mind. The 

 importance of the guano production depends not only upon the abund- 

 ance of the birds, but also in great part upon the latitude of the islands 

 selected as breeding grounds. The latter consideration has not been 



