634 ORNITHOLOGY. 



who foiuul these birds breeding in immense numbers at Luke Malheur, in 

 southeastern Oregon, on the IGth of April, 1865; but we had been previ- 

 ousl)' coiTected by Professor F. S. Snow, in the Observer of Nature (Law- 

 rence, Kansas), June 4, 1875, and l)y Mr. N. S. Goss, of Neosho Falls, 

 Kan.sas, in the Eod and Gun for June 12, 1875 (page 167). That the 

 mandibular crest of this si)ecies is really deciduous, however, has been fully 

 confirmed b)- recent observers; and regarding this remarkable fact, it may 

 be proper to state here, that it was first discovered l>y Mr. IL G. Parker, of 

 Carson City, Nevada (in about 1865), and first published by us, thi-ough 

 Professor Baird, in The Ibis (London), in 1869 (p. 350). 



The length of time required for the perfect development of this jij)- 

 pendage is not known. From the articles cited above, however, we know 

 that it is to be found from the 16th of April until June od, so that it may 

 therefore fairly be presumed that its growth commences early in the spring 

 or late in winter; and we have also positive proof that it falls off of many 

 individuals as soon as the beginning of Mixj, and that by the end of the 

 latter month exceedingly few which possess it are to be found; while it is 

 also certain that it does not exist on any specimens during the latter part of 

 summer, in fall, or in the early part of winter. As to the use of this append- 

 age, no plausible theoiy has yet been proposed, so far as we know ; it cer- 

 tainly is not a weapon of defense or offense, since in that case it would 

 hardly be possessed by both sexes, while it is also well known that few 

 birds are less combative than the Pelican. 



There are many seasonal changes of plumage in this species which are, 

 as yet, only very imperfectly imderstood, but which we hope soon to see 

 made clear by the observations of those who have the opi)ortunity to study 

 these birds in nature during different times of the year. These j)roblems 

 have been fully discussed by us in the ])aper in the Ainrriran Sportstncni, 

 alluded to above, to which the reader is referred for information on this 



point. 



LiM of specimens. 



749, 9 rtf/.; r.vramid Lako, Ncva.la, May 10, 18G8. G2— lOG— 25A— ID. Wcifflit, 

 IT) pounds. (IciuM-al liiu' of the bill, reddish salmon color, tin- ctdini-ii dirty wliitisli, 

 tlie rc'ddish decpeiiinf; on the nail and fdj^rs of the niandil)les into orange red ; lower 

 mandible deeper red(ii^h tbau the ui>j)er, aud growing more iuteuse, or brick red, 



