PELICAN ISLAND 85 



with the government, immediately appointed a warden who 

 was empowered to prevent trespass, and erected on the 

 island a large sign proclaiming its population to be wards of 

 the government. 



The future safety of the Pelicans now seemed assured, but 

 on visiting the island in April, 1904, 1 found to my surprise 

 and disgust, that with a uniformity of action which left no 

 doubt as to their attitude, the birds had expressed their dis- 

 approval of the whole arrangement by failing to return to 

 the island. For the first time in its history not a nest was 

 made or an egg laid upon it, but the two nearest islands con- 

 tained over 700 nests. 



In November, 1904, the beginning of the nesting season, 

 when the Pelican clans began to gather, it was evident that 

 the great sign announcing Federal possession of the home 

 of their forefathers appeared to cause them much uneasi- 

 ness, whereupon the warden, who had long suspected the 

 root of the trouble, removed the offending boards, and the 

 birds at once returned to their heritage, built their homes, 

 and reared their families, as the accompanying pictures, 

 made during the season in question abundantly prove. 



Consequently, we may infer from this incident either 

 that the Pelican can read and has strong political prejudi- 

 ces which prompt it to refuse favors from the administra- 

 tion which has preserved its home, or that it lacks sufficient 

 discrimination to realize that a board painted white with 

 black marks and held upright by two posts is perfectly 

 harmless. 



However this may be, the fact remains that, to the great 

 satisfaction of their well-wishers, the birds have entered no 

 objection to the small signs which have replaced the large 

 one, but return to the island in increasing numbers each 

 year under the guardianship of the government. 



Pelican Island is the most interesting bird colony it has 

 been my privilege to visit. This is due in part to the habits 

 of the birds, in part to the conditions which usually create 



