4 
WILD WINGS 
most of the area was an open expanse, overgrown with tall 
weeds and grass, except for two considerable sandy tracts at 
the east and southwest corners. Both of these tracts were 
fairly covered with an army of great birds, about the size of 
geese, each of a general grayish color above and dark brown 
beneath, with long brown and white neck and enormous bill 
with pendant pouch that was held pointed downward in a 
most ridiculously solemn, pompous fashion. There were, too, 
a few of the birds located at the northwestern end, and also 
smaller overflow colonies on at least two other islands about 
a quarter of a mile eastward. These are the Brown Pelican, a 
Southern species, entirely different from our only other kind, 
the American White Pelican, which is snow-white, with black 
wing-tips, and is found mostly in the interior and on the 
Gulf of Mexico, breeding on islands in lakes from Minnesota 
northward. 
P’rom time immemorial this little island has been the prin¬ 
cipal, if not the only, breeding-ground of the Brown Pelicans 
of the east coast of Florida. Though there are hundreds of 
other islands apparently just as good, this one alone has 
attracted the pelicans. Dastardly plume-hunters have at 
times all but annihilated them ; swinish egg-collectors have 
robbed them of every egg in sight; yet still thev remain 
faithful to the old home-land of their ancestors. Creatures of 
habit they are, like the chickens that persist in roosting in 
the orchard, despite the advent of winter weather. 
Our boat was now closely approaching the east end of the 
island, directed by the guide, while we held readv our cam¬ 
eras, expecting at every moment to see the birds rise in a 
cloud and leave the vicinity. To make sure of present oppor¬ 
tunity, we took snap-shots as the birds still sat on their nests. 
Then we prepared in earnest for the grand flight. The boat 
was run ashore abreast of the colony, but without alarming 
