BIRDS Of 

 FAMILY PELECANID^E. 



SUBGENUS CYRTOPELICANUS REICHENBACH. 

 30. PELECANUS ERYTHRORHYNCHOS GMEL. 125. 



American White Pelican. 



White; occiput and breast yellow ; primaries, their coverts, bastard quills 

 and many secondaries black ; bill, sac, lores and feet yellow. Length, about 4 

 feet ; expanse, 7-9 : wing, 2 ; bill, i or more ; tail, ; normally 24-feathered. 



HAB. Temperate North America, north in the interior to about Lat. 

 61 , south to Central America : now rare or accidental in the Northeastern 

 States ; abundant in the Middle Province and along the Gulf coast ; common 

 on the coast of California and Western Mexico. 



Nest on the ground or in a low bush near the water. Eggs, one to three, 

 dull white. 



Early in the month of May, 1864, five of these large, odd- 

 looking birds were observed on Hamilton Bay, and were accord- 

 ed such attention as is usually given to visitors of this description. 

 John Dynes was the first to give them a salute, and captured 

 two of their number, one of which came into my possession, the 

 other three remained for a day or two, but were much disturbed, 

 and finally got away. On the i3th March, 1884, a similar visit 

 was made by a like number, about the time the ice was breaking 

 up. Mr. Smith, who was in charge of the Ocean House at the 

 time, saw them flying heavily up the lake. They seemed much 

 exhausted, and, on alighting on the ice near the edge of the 

 water, at once squatted flat, with the head resting between the 

 shoulders. On two or three rifle bullets being landed uncom- 

 fortably near them, they again got up reluctantly, and went off 

 east down the lake, hugging the shore for shelter from the wind, 

 which was blowing fresh at the time. 



I have heard of specimens being captured at other points in 

 Ontario, but as we are a long way east of their line of migration, 

 all of these can only be regarded as stragglers driven from their 

 course by high winds or bewildered by foggy weather. 



Professor Macoun found them breeding at Old Wives, Gull 

 and Long Lakes in the Northwest. 



4 8 



