NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK — HOLLISTER. 573 



for life in the water rather than on the land. Most of the species 

 are rapid and strong in flight, once they are in the air, but most 

 of them have difficulty in rising and some are unable to take flight 

 except after a running start over the surface of the water. The legs 

 are placed far to the rear, and on shore the birds must either rest 

 the body on the ground or stand nearly erect. The loons are difficult 

 birds to keep in captivity, but examples have been shown in the park 

 for considerable periods. Most of the specimens received have been 

 virtually untamable, although one bird soon learned to eat fish from 

 his keeper's hand. In the North American waterfowl lake examples 

 of the smaller grebes, or "hell divers" will be found. The horned 

 grebe (Colymbus auritus), although a particularly handsome species 

 in spring and summer, is in winter plumage a very ordinary looking 

 bird. It breeds from Alaska and northern Canada to our Northern 

 States, and in winter migrates as far south as Florida. 



THE STORKS AND THEIR RELATIVES. 



This group (Ciconiiformes) of water birds includes, among other 

 families, the pelicans, cormorants, snakebirds, herons, storks, ibises, 

 and flamingoes. Most of the species are essentially aquatic and some 

 are among the most expert of swimmers. Other kinds are primarily 

 waders, with long legs and with the feet imperfectly webbed. There 

 is likewise great variation in the power of flight and among the 

 diverse species are found some of the swiftest and most graceful as 

 well as the most sluggish of water birds awing. 



PELICANS AND CORMORANTS. 



The members of the section of ciconiid birds which includes the 

 pelicans, cormorants, and darters are distinguished from the storks 

 and herons by their very short legs and the completely webbed feet ; 

 even the hind toe, which is in reality turned sharply inward, is con- 

 nected by a web. 



The American white pelicans (Pelecamis erythrorhynchos) are 

 graceful birds on the wing or in the water and very clumsy ashore. 

 In the breeding season a curious horny knob appears on the bill of 

 the adult bird. These pelicans are common in the interior of western 

 North America ; the specimens inhabiting the " pelican pond " came 

 from Wyoming. The brown pelican of the Southern States (P. occi- 

 dentalu) and several exotic species are exhibited in summer in the 

 big flight cage. 



Pelicans are fascinating birds to watch and frequently reward the 

 observer with some queer antics. On one occasion the flock of Ameri- 

 can white pelicans in the park was seen to form a circle in the 

 water, all the birds intent toward the center, with bills frequently 



