form, gave it the name erythrorhynchos, est, eagerly engaged in taking life in order 

 which is now used by ornithologists. This to sustain life. All sea-birds know this, 

 name has its origin in two Greek words, and the time of its coming well. The 

 meaning red and bill. White Pelicans, that have been patiently 

 The peculiar growth or crest on the bill waiting in line along the beach, quietly 

 which disappears soon after the breeding move into the water and glide smoothly 

 season, varies greatly both in size and out so as not to frighten the life beneath, 

 shape. Dr. Ridgway says : "Frequently A t a suitable distance from the shore they 

 it consists of a single piece, nearly as high form into line in accordance with the sin- 

 as long, its vertical outlines almost par- uosities of the beach, each facing shore- 

 allel, and the upper outline quite regular- ward and awaiting their leader's signal to 

 ly convex, the largest specimen seen be- start - when thls ls lven > a11 1S commo- 

 ing about three inches high, by as many tion ; the birds, rapidly striking the water 

 in length. More frequently, however, it with their wm S s > throwing it high above 

 is very irregular in shape, usually less ele- them and P lun g m g their heads m and out > 

 vated, and not infrequently with ragged fairl y make the water foam as the y move 

 anterior, or even posterior continuations." in an al ost unbroken line, filling their 

 At this time the bill is also more or less pouches as they go. When satisfied with 

 orange-red in color. their catch, they wade and waddle into 



A 11 , r ,, i , ., r line again upon the beach, where they re- 



An excellent narrative of the habits of ,. ..... * .. 



,, TTTI v T-> 1- 0.1- r\ main to rest, standing or sitting as suits 



the White Pelican is given in the Orm- them b ^ th ^ aye leisu * el swal . 



thology of Illinois, where Dr. Ridgway lowed the fishes in their nets th . f un _ 



quotes the words of Col. N. S. Goss re- disturbedj they generally rise in a flock 



gardmg those who "have not seen the and circle for a long time high in air 



White Pelicans upon their feeding The White p e li c ans will consume a 



grounds, but may have read Audu- i ar g e amount of food ; in fact, they are 



bon's interesting description of the man- gluttonous. It is said that the remains of 



ner in which the birds unite and drive the several hundred minnows have been taken 



fishes into shallow water, where they can f rO m the stomach of a single pelican, 



catch them, which they cannot well do in Usually they are the most active in the 



deep water, as their skins are honey- pursuit of their prey for a short time after 



combed with air cells that buoy them up sunrise and also before sunset, 



like cork, and prevent their diving, and The chief breeding grounds of the 



they do not plunge for their food when White Pelican are from Minnesota north- 



upon the wing, like their cousins, the wards to the limit of its range. It nests 

 Brown Pelicans, and therefore have to . also in isolated and greatly separated 



adopt fishing habits suited to shallow localities to the westward. It is said that 



waters. I have often noticed the birds in several thousand permanently breed on 



flocks, in pairs, or alone, swimming on the the islands of the great Salt Lake. There 



water with partially opened wings, and are reasons for believing that it also 



head drawn down and back, the bill just breeds in Florida and westward along 



clearing the water, ready to strike and the Gulf of Mexico as far as Texas, 



gobble up the prey within their reach; The White Pelican builds its nest on 



when so fishing, if they ran into a shoal of the ground using small sticks and twigs, 



minnows, they would stretch out their They usually select a clump of sage or 



necks, drop their heads upon the water, some other plant that will afford the nest 



and with open mouths and extended some protection. Frequently sand is 



pouches, scoop up the tiny fry. Their fa- heaped around the nest to the depth of 



vorite time for fishing on the seashore is about six inches. The nests are about one 



during the incoming tide, as with it come foot in diameter. The color of the two to 



the small fishes to feed upon the insects four eggs is a chalky white and the sur- 



caught in the rise, and upon the low face is quite rough, due to the irregular 



form of life in the drift, as it washes shore- thickness of the outer coating. The aver- 



ward, the larger fishes following in their age size of the eggs is about three and 



wake, each, from the smallest to the larg- one-half by two and one-third inches. 



113 



