110 FLORIDA BIRD-LIFE 



less gregariousness as well as the heredity of habit plays a 

 part here. 



Beyond supplying them with food and shelter essential 

 to their existence, Pelicans seem to take little interest in 

 their off-spring. They often step on their young in a 

 clumsy fashion which must sometimes be fatal to very little 

 birds. The adults whose voung were devoured by larger 



" Devoured by a scavenging Black Vulture " 



young birds showed no resentment. In one instance the 

 naked young of a bird whose nest was unfortunately within 

 a few feet of my blind, died through exposure to the sun be- 

 fore I was aware of their suffering. Finally when, after 

 an hour or so the parent became sufficiently accustomed to 

 the blind to return to her nest, she (I assumed it was the 

 mother) showed an evident though unintelligent concern at 

 her loss. For two hours she stood near the nest containing 

 the bodies of the poor little Pelicans returning to it at inter- 

 vals to thrust her bill deep into the nest, and toss the 

 material about, presumably searching for her chicks which, 

 disguised in death, she seemed not to recognize. Happen- 



