58



Mr. R. A. Sell



EFFECTS UPON BIRD LIFE OF THE

CORPUS CHRISTI STORM OF

AUGUST X 8th, 1916.


By R. A. Sell.


[Reprinted from ‘ The Condor.’]


The storm struck the coast from a north-westerly direction,

and blew with such a uniform force that the water was driven away

from Rockport. Many fish were left floundering on the sandy

bottom, and some courageous people went out and gathered what

they wanted of the choicest speckled trout, red fish, sheep-head, red

snappers, etc. But the Pelicans showed no desire to fish. They

flew about in wild confusion, first to the shores, then across the

foaming waves into the very teeth of the storm. When there were

literally miles of bare beach where there had always been water,

the birds became even more panic-stricken than they were before.

Sometimes they would huddle together on the beach, but only for

a minute. Then with piercing shrieks they would scatter, some

waddling or half-flying up and down the beach, others trying to fly

against the wind, while some even braved the foaming waves.


As the storm increased, the Pelicans were simply blown about

like the materials from a refreshment stand when boxes of rolled

oats and packages of Uneeda biscuits chased one another towards

the water. When thoroughly exhausted, a Pelican would sometimes

spread itself out and lie flat on the sand with its head towards the

wind. While those on the shore were buffeted about at a terrible

rate, those in the water fared even worse. The waves rolled so fast

and with such irresistible force that the great birds, which are

ordinarily so sure of themselves in the water, were almost helpless.

When by an extreme effort one of them would succeed in raising its

body above the waves it was likely to he turned over and over by the

furious gale and shot into the crest of a foaming wave.


When the wind changed so that the water was driven back

towards the shore with a rush, all the Pelicans on the shore began

screaming, and it was these extreme penetrating cries from the

Pelicans and the Gulls that were being driven ahead of the gale that



