132 CAMP FIRE REMINISCENCES 
given much time to the study of its life history, 
tells us that ‘‘It is a tiny crustacean, one-third of 
an inch long and capable of adapting itself to great 
variation in the composition of the water in which 
it lives.’”? So great is the adaptability of some 
members of this family that they actually change 
their type, the abdominal segments increasing in 
number, or decreasing according to the salinity of 
the water and this in a remarkably short time. 
We now descended to the pelican nests, and found 
them scattered about everywhere over a certain 
area. There were no gulls’ eggs in the neighbor- 
hood of the colony; evidently they were not on 
good terms with each other. Large white chalk- 
incrusted eggs lay about on the sand in twos and 
threes, little attempt being made at nest forming, 
a slight hollow in the sand answering the purpose. 
As darkness was coming on, we returned to the 
boat and enjoyed another peaceful night, the still- 
ness being broken only by the noise of the gulls. 
After a very early breakfast next morning we 
landed again. The pelicans had not returned, but 
were sitting in a great white flock on the sand 
where they had gone the night before. We again 
visited their breeding place and found that the busy 
gulls had been there before us and disturbed all 
the nests. The eggs had been rolled out and in 
Some cases were broken, while the neighbourhood 
presented a very tossed appearance. I should say 
that frequent visits to the island would end in ex- 
termination of the colony, as the big shy birds 
would give the gulls the opportunity of which they 
