82 STORIES OF BIRD LIFE 



ered inhabitants are found in almost inconceivable num- 

 bers. Why sea birds have this habit it is hard to explain. 

 Perhaps they gather for mutual protection against enemies. 

 Possibly they desire the companionship of kindred beings 

 during the nesting period. 



A breeding and roosting place of much ornithological 

 interest is Bird Key, a small island in Tampa Bay, Flor- 

 ida. The greater portion of this island, like all those in 

 the neighborhood, is covered with a growth of mangrove 

 trees. For years it has been a popular summer resort for 

 three species of coast and ocean birds. At this season 

 the wooded part of the island is divided about equally 

 between Florida cormorants and brown pelicans. The 

 former occupy the eastern, the latter the western portion 

 of the island. 



Over the area of the island used by the cormorants 

 many of the trees are fifteen to twenty feet high. Among 

 the upper branches of these the birds build their substan- 

 tial nests. A local observer told me that most of the cor- 

 morants arrive at the rookery in March, and do not leave 

 until August. He said, however, that, probably on account 

 of the good fishing in the neighborhood, some remain about 

 the island throughout the year. 



On the twentieth of July, while on a visit to this place, I 

 saw hundreds of these birds. None were found sitting on 

 eggs, and to all appearances the nesting period of the 



