1917 BIRDS OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ISLANDS 41 
nests with young on Santa Cruz Island in July, 1909, and G. Willett (18) re- 
ported five nests of young on Prince Islet, San Miguel, June 15, 1910. 
In several instances I have noted pelicans beginning to repair nests the last 
of April, while H. C. Burt (79) saw some at Anacapa flying with sea weed in 
their bills, March 17, 1911. This, coupled with other observations made by me 
farther south, in Mexico, indicates that the time for nest building and laying va- 
ries considerably in different colonies. The nests on the Coronados are made 
mostly out of sticks from a certain bush that grows there. L. M. Huey (MS) 
tells me that he has watched the pelicans gathering this material, and that they 
secure it in the same way that they fish, namely, by flying along and then diving 
at the bush, landing feet instead of head first, however, and in this way breaking 
the bush down. He affirms that he has seen opuntia cactus that had evidently 
been flattened down by the pelicans in the same manner, in mistake for the other 
bush. One can imagine the surprise of the bird after such a maneuver! 
As the pelicans suffer much from the depredations of the gulls, fresh eggs 
from second layings may be found well into July. The young leave the nest 
when less than half the size of the parents, and it is quite Indicrous to watch the 
compact flocks of fluffy, solemn youngsters parading sedately about the rook- 
eries. When the primaries are quite well grown, they frequently hop off a shelf 
of rock into one of the many patches of cactus, and it is not unusual to encounter 
one literally bristling with the spines. When able to fly, but before ever having 
tried to do so, they will sometimes take to the air at the approach of danger, and 
20 careening out to sea on unsteady wings, then manage the turn, and come shoot- 
ing back on the wind. They are unversed in the art of alighting, however, and 
sometimes hit the cliff full speed, which is a signal for every gull in sight to sail 
happily down to investigate the dying bird. When camped near the colonies, 
one may see a line or wedge of these great birds go silently by at any hour of 
the night, undoubtedly belated homecomers from some far fishing ground. 
42. Fregata aquila (Linnaeus) 
MAN-0’-WAR-BIRD 
Tachypetes aquilus (1) Cooper, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 1v, 1870, p. 79. 
Fregata aquila (2) Grinnell, Pac. Coast Avif., 11, 1915, p. 31. 
J. G. Cooper (1) states that this species was said to oceur at Catalina, but 
of course it could only have been a straggler in that locality. On June 29, 1913, 
L. M. Huey ealled the attention of F. Stephens, A. van Rossem, D. R. Dickey and 
myself, to an individual of this species that.was soaring over the island towards 
the south. It was perfectly identified by all of us. 
43. Mergus serrator Linnaeus 
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER 
Mergus serrator (1) Grinnell, Pasadena Acad. Sci., 1, 1898, p. 10. (2) Linton, Condor, 
x1, 1909, p. 198. (3) Willett, Pac. Coast Avif., 7, 1912, p. 22. 
Merganser serrator (4) Linton, Condor, x, 1908, p. 126. 
Fairly common winter visitant to the islands. J. Grinnell (7) noted birds 
