634 ORNITHOLOGY. 



who fouud these birds breeding in immense numbers at Lake Malheur, in 

 southeastern Oregon, on the 16th of April, 18G5 ; but we had been previ- 

 ously corrected by Professor F. S. Snow, in the Ohservcr of Nature (Law- 

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

 Kansas, in the Bod and Gun for June 12, 1875 (page 1G7). That the 

 luaudibular crest of this .species is really deciduous, however, has been fully 

 confirmed by recent observers; and regarding this remarkable fact, it may 

 be i)roper to state here, that it was first discovered by Mr. H. CI. Parker, of 

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

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



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

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

 that it is to be found from the 16th of April until June 3d, so that it may 

 therefore fixirly 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 May, and that l)y the end of the 

 latter month exceedingly few which possess it are to Ije 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- 

 a.ge, 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, onl)^ very imperfectly understood, but which we hope soon to see 

 made clear by the observations of those who have the opportunity to study 

 these birds in nature during different times of the year. These problems 

 have been fully discussed by us in the paper in the American Sportsman, 

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

 point. 



List of njH'chnens. 



TU), 9 (1,1.; P.viMini.l Luke, Nevada, May 10, ISOS. 02— 100— 2r..\— 1<». Wcigbt, 

 1.") pouiid.s. (iciieral hue ot the bill, reildisli salmon color, the eidineii dirty whitish, 

 tlie leddish deeiieniiiR on the nail and edges of the niandiljles into orange-red ; lower 

 mandible dee])er redui.sh than the iii)j)er, aud growing more intense, or brick-red, 



