1913 BIRDS OF THE FRESNO DISTRICT 15 



ing colony at some more favorable point. Possibly the rookery described by Gold- 

 man (Condor, x, 1908, p. 201) includes the winter birds from this place. 



It is highly probable that certain individuals that are for some reason non- 

 breeders remain with us all summer ; for I have observed cormorants along 

 certain sloughs as late as the first week in June, and May 15, 1912, nine were 

 seen flying together. This was not far from White's Bridge, and I have thought 

 that somewhere on the great Chowchilla Ranch there might possibly be a breed- 

 ing colony as yet unknown to the naturalists of this part of the state. 



White Pelican. Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Gmelin. 



Near Summit Lake one late October day the writer concealed himself behind 

 a levee to await the approach of what appeared to be a flock of geese. "Pelicans," 

 called my companion, and his identification proved to be correct. There were 

 over two hundred birds in the three flocks that were seen on that occasion, 

 and to the writer, who was then unacquainted with any of our waterfowl, they 

 were objects of wonder and admiration as they passed over at no great height in 

 regular formation and with a slow dignified flight. That was ten years ago, but 

 the White Pelican still occurs through the winter over most of the slough 

 country northward from Summit Lake. 



November 29, 1904, a flock of about fifty was seen near New Hope. De- 

 cember 5, 1905, near the lake at the Artesian Well, a similar flock was seen flying 

 over. April 6, 1906, another assemblage was noted circling about overhead on 

 the plains not far from the present site of Raisin. 



The species is reported to breed in numbers, during some seasons at least, 

 at Tulare Lake, some fifty miles south of us. 



Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus serrator Linnaeus. 



The "Fish Duck," as this species is commonly known to hunters, occurs 

 on many of the larger sloughs during the winter season. Nearly everyone realizes 

 that this duck is of no value for the table and it is seldom molested, except by 

 that class of hunters who draw the line at no living creature that affords a mark 

 to shoot at. 



Generally two mergansers are observed together, flying over with strong 

 wing strokes, or quietly fishing in some secluded bend of a slough. 



Mallard. Anas platyrhychos Linnaeus. 



Mallards are probably the most common breeding ducks of this part ot the 

 valley. Some years, when conditions are favorable, they nest in large numbers 

 on the west side sloughs and marshes, their abundance or scarcity during the 

 following winter depending, seemingly, upon the number that are raised here 

 rather than migrants from the north. Sometimes when several hard rain storms 

 follow one upon the other, a great many small puddles are formed in the heavy 

 clay soil east of Clovis. Occasionally a Mallard or two can be found on these 

 puddles, especially during December or January. Some of the larger ponds, 

 caused by the overflow from a flume, occasionally shelter a pair of these ducks all 

 through the summer. 



June 26, 1906, two companions and myself noticed a female Mallard in a 

 large ditch, acting in a rather strange manner, and we at once suspected that a 

 brood of voung ducks was concealed near by. A few minutes' search revealed 



