PELICAN ISLAND 



109 



seen no evidence of either friendly or hostile relations be- 

 tween the adult birds. They live side by side, they go 

 fishing together, they return together, and this association 

 apparently satisfies an evident desire for companionship. 

 While the formation of such island colonies may original- 



" Thrust her bill deep into the nest " 



ly have been due to the gradual elimination of the 

 individuals of a species which did not nest in so favorable a 

 locality (see "Bird Studies with a Camera" p. 195 where 

 this idea is advanced) I now believe that among island nest- 

 ing birds there is definite and intentional selection of island 

 sites. When the Pelicans have been driven from Pelican 

 Island they have sought refuge on another island. White 

 Pelicans, as is remarked in a succeeding chapter, also give 

 evidence of this actual selection of an island home. Doubt- 



