386 THE WHITE PELICAN 



two miles. Few pebbles and no reed-beds were available 

 for nesting material and most of the birds used weed-stalks, 

 some building a not discreditable nest, while a few found 

 pebbles, and others used merely a depression in the ground. 

 The nearby mainland offered far better nesting facilities, 

 but it is worthy of note that although uninspired by love of 

 home, not one bird failed to respond to its island-haunting 

 instincts. 



On June 10, 1907, 1 drove out to this island, a method of 

 transportation* infinitely preferable to those employed on 

 Shoal and Pyramid Lakes, though a mud-hole into which 

 horses and wagon threatened to disappear, seemed to reveal 

 a far better reason for the lake 's name than the big stick of 

 timber on which it is based. The young birds were just 

 appearing. Knowing that exposure to the sun at this ten- 

 der f eatherless stage is fatal, I retired from the island at 

 once, leaving behind a dummy blind. At this stage of the 

 nesting season, a bird 's parental instinct reaches its highest 

 development and even the undemonstrative Pelicans left 

 their nests with reluctance. Subsequently, however, I came 

 to the conclusion that their comparative tameness could pos- 

 sibly be attributed to the fact that the region in which they 

 were accustomed to nest, was so remote from man that, hav- 

 ing never been disturbed at this season, they had not learn- 

 ed to fear him. 



Returning June 26, 1 found the young sufficiently well 

 clad with down not to require the shelter of the parental 

 breast. The dummy blind was replaced by the actual one, 

 my assistant departed and I was left to enjoy a vividly 

 interesting and exciting experience. The parent birds 

 settled on the lake and swam in stately silence about the 

 islet. Slowly they came nearer, and with great caution made 

 landings here and there, advancing from all sides toward 

 the nests which surrounded me. At a fancied cause of 

 alarm, with great flapping they all took wing and in due 

 time the whole proceeding was repeated. But finally they 



