A First Glance at the Birds, 



several of them standing erect upon some 

 bare rock, their long necks reaching way 

 into the air. They are cormorants — 

 probably Brandt's — familiarly known as 

 " shags." Besides being excellent swim- 

 mers and divers they are expert fisher- 

 men. They breed along our coast, three 

 species being represented upon the Fa- 

 ralloneSj and unlike most sea birds they 

 make large nests of sticks and sea-weed. 

 Their young look like hideous little imps 

 of black india rubber, with enormous 

 gaping mouths which seem almost cap- 

 able of swallowing their devoted parents. 

 Two species of pelicans make their 

 home in our state — the white and the 

 California brown. The former, a beauti- 

 ful bird in its snowy plumage, is most 

 common about the interior lakes, while 

 the California brown is found only on the 

 coast. 1 1 is an interesting sight to observe 

 a flock of white pelicans fishing by form- 

 ing in line and wading in the shallow 

 water toward the shore, gathering in 

 their plunder as they go. 

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