V0l 'i9n Vm ] Nelson, Notes on Pelican Island. 395 



In the arboreal nest, the young pelicans, as soon as they are 

 able to walk with any degree of security, begin to crawl out on the 

 branches, and in many cases are unable to return to the nest to be 

 fed. When the parent birds return to feed their young they land 

 at the nest and pause awhile, then, if their offspring are unable 

 to return, the old birds finally answer their pleadings by flying 

 out and feeding them, but not without considerable difficulty. 

 The outer branches of the mangroves, being very slender and weak, 

 form very insecure perches for such heavy and clumsy birds, and 

 every feeding operation in such places becomes a ludicrous balanc- 

 ing act. The semi-crazed actions of the young pelicans after being 

 fed are undoubtedly the cause of considerable mortality among 

 the young in the taller trees. During these spells they are in 

 great danger of falling to the ground, or they remain in awkward 

 positions among the lower branches. The greatest number of 

 dead young I saw on the island were hanging in these positions, 

 or were on the ground beneath the trees. The cold periods which 

 are becoming more numerous and severe in this section of Florida 

 would be the cause of some mortality among the half grown young, 

 perched on the branches in exposed positions. The ground nesting 

 birds experience none of these difficulties. Here the parent birds 

 can make an easy and graceful landing at any time, and feed their 

 young with greater facility. The young can wander about, thereby 

 getting strength and exercise not possible with tree-nesting birds. 

 No mishap can here befall them while "performing" before and 

 after being fed. They can move to protected places during cold 

 windy weather. The percentage of dead young in the ground 

 nesting localities was not nearly so large as it was among the tree 

 nesters. 



The river is very shallow near the new island, and a comfortable 

 landing can be made only on the eastern point. It is on this 

 eastern point where the warden usually lands visitors. Over 

 three hundred persons were landed here during the past season. 

 The birds in the vicinity of this point have been so accustomed to 

 seeing people, that they will allow of very close approach. That 

 all of the birds are not as easily approached as those of the eastern 

 end, became very evident when, on one occasion, the warden and 

 I, wishing to explore the densely wooded interior of the island, 



