NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK HOLLISTEH 321 



one of them seized a water snake about 2y 2 feet long and tossed it 

 some distance in the air. This act was quickly repeated a number 

 of times by different birds until one of the pelicans swallowed the 

 unfortunate snake. He attempted to keep his prey down by holding 

 his bill close to the body, but his efforts were unavailing, for the 

 snake wriggled up into the gular pouch and eventually forced his 

 way out of the pelican's mouth and escaped. One of the pelicans 

 once swallowed a black-bellied tree duck and retained the bird in 

 his stomach for 60 hours, but finally disgorged it, only partially 

 digested. Various unusual objects have been swallowed at different 

 times by the pelicans; a sharp bamboo cutting about 6 inches long 

 worked its way out of one bird's stomach and was removed after it 

 had pierced the lower body. This pelican did not seem to suffer in 

 the least from his experience and did not miss a meal. An American 

 white pelican received at the park October 7, 1897, is still living in 

 good health. 



Numbers of cormorants {Phalacrocorax auritus fLoridanus) reg- 

 ularly breed in the flight cage, constructing their nests of sticks in 

 the branches of the larger trees within the inclosure. That these 

 birds are well satisfied with their home is proved by the fact that 

 one which escaped and remained away for more than a day returned 

 to the cage ; the keeper found him near the door waiting to be let in. 



HERONS AND STORKS 



Several species of stork-like birds are regularly kept in the big 

 flight cage; some hardy kinds like the black-crowned night herons 

 (Nycticorax nycticorax nwvius) and the great blue herons (Ardea 

 herodias) remain out throughout the year. The night herons breed 

 within the inclosure, and wild birds of the same species build their 

 nests on top of the great cage and in the neighboring tree tops. More 

 delicate species, including the snowy egret (Egretta candidissima) , 

 nearly exterminated in the Southern States for the millinery trade, 

 the curious boatbill (Cochlearius cochlearius) , and the beautiful 

 scarlet ibis (Guam ritbra), all from South America, have permanent 

 quarters in the bird house. The roseate spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja) and 

 several species of ibis summer in the open flight cage, but are kept in 

 the bird house in winter. 



The storks, typical members of this group of birds, are represented 

 by several species, including an American form, the wood ibis 

 (Mycteria americana) which is regularly found in the Southern 

 States and in tropical America. The marabou stork, or adjutant 

 (Leptoptilos dubius) is a striking bird with a naked head and neck, 

 a powerful beak, and a white ruff above his shoulders; he is native 

 to the Indian region. The common stork of Europe (Ciconia 

 ciconia) and the black stork (C. nigra) are both shown. The latter 



