112 FLORIDA BIRD-LIFE 



ing to touch one of them with her bill it was flung from the 

 nest as an object of no interest and later was devoured by 

 a scavenging Black Vulture with whose meal the surround- 

 ing Pelicans showed no concern. 



On another occasion an adult went beyond the bounds of 

 mere routine to prevent her offspring from being imposed 

 upon by a slightly larger bird. A fish the youngster had 

 secured from the parent's throat became lodged crosswise 

 in its pouch and would not go down. While attempting to 

 disgorge and re-swallow its booty a larger bird standing 

 near became interested and offered to assist by relieving the 

 smaller Pelican of the fish altogether. It was on the verge 

 of success, though evidently against the will of the smaller 

 bird, when the latter 's parent, who had probably been 

 watching the performance, appeared upon the scene and 

 drove the intruder off. Few incidents of this kind were 

 noted and observation emphasizes the limited range of the 

 Pelican's intelligence. But as one considers the conditions 

 under which the birds live, there appear to be no factors to 

 stimulate mental development. Their food supply never 

 fails and is secured without competition ; after the first few 

 weeks of their lives their climatic surroundings are favor- 

 able; in disposition they are non-combative; while the 

 nature of their nesting-resorts protects them from pre- 

 datory animals. In short, life with Pelicans is not 

 sufficiently severe to tend to character making. 



Man alone appears to threaten their continued existence 

 and from him, fortunately, those of their kin who live on 

 Pelican Island are now happily protected. While they can- 

 not repay their defenders with the music of Thrushes or a 

 display of those traits which so endear the higher animals 

 to us, they may at least claim success in filling their place in 

 nature, while the charm of every water-way is increased by 

 the quaint dignity of their presence. 



