voi.xxvnn 



1911 



Nelson, Notes on Pelican Island. 397 



my camera on a tripod, and by using long-focus lenses, obtained 

 large images of them while they were stretching, sleeping, yawning, 

 and even feeding the small naked young. Photographs of the 

 feeding of the larger young can very easily be obtained by waiting 

 near some of them until the parents arrive. While there is almost 

 always a feeding scene in sight, there are three periods during the 

 day when they are very numerous; in the morning from 7 to 8, and 

 again from 11 to noon, and from 4 to 5 p. m. It is during the 11 

 A. M. period that the largest number are fed. The island at this 

 time is fairly alive with feeding scenes, the noise of the squawking 

 young being almost deafening. 



The 1911 breeding activities were abruptly terminated about 

 the fifteenth of June, by a new and unexpected enemy. Millions 

 of mosquitoes descended upon the birds and so persistently tor- 

 mented them, that about six hundred nests containing small 

 young were abandoned, and these young, of course, soon perished. 

 This mosquito event may furnish a reason why the Pelicans have 

 become, in the past, so attached to the old island. It being the 

 outermost, and the only barren and exposed one in the vicinity, 

 it consequently receives the full force of every breeze, and must 

 be much less frequented by mosquitoes and other pests than the 

 other islands. Although the season of 1910-1911 came to a 

 close much earlier than that of many previous years, it was one 

 of the most prolific seasons as to the number of young raised to 

 maturity in the history of the colony; the increase being esti- 

 mated at about six thousand. 



Barring a repetition of the conditions which confronted the 

 birds upon their arrival last season, it may be reasonable to sup- 

 pose that they will return to the old island, but, as there are now 

 too many Pelicans to nest there comfortably, it is very probable 

 that both islands will be abundantly populated. Should this 

 be the case we can be assured of even a more marked increase in 

 the number of Brown Pelicans of the east coast of Florida than 

 that which made the season of 1910-1911 so noteworthy. 



