138 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



l\\ .\ 1 !■ \ I HIR> snoN APPEAR 

 AND SHOUPDERS. 



some fully feathered ones, which are only waiting 

 for the growth of their primaries and secondaries 

 to join their parents. Each of these are segre- 

 gated in flocks by themselves. During the 

 whole time the young pelicUns remain on the 

 island, and until they are able to fly, they use 

 their angular, arm -like wings as balancing 

 organs, waving them about as a tight - rope 

 walker does his pole. 



There are tW'o or three small rain pools on the 

 island and to escape us the young pelicans 

 always make for one of these. A flock of forty 

 immaculate youngsters standing in tlie center of 

 one of these puddles, confident that the inch or 

 two of water will completely prevent any further 

 intrusion on our part, is an amusing sight. 



Pelicans of this tender age are afraid of deeper 

 water and rather than go beyond their depth at 

 the edge of the island, they choose to turn and 

 face us. 



During the whole time that we are on the 

 island, a ring of birds surrounds it about thirty 

 yards from shore, all facing us, some continually 

 leaving the circle and flying to their nests, others 

 flying up before us and settling on the water. 

 These watchful guardians evidently correspond 

 to the cloud of birds which a short time before 

 were soaring about in the air. 



After taking photographs of eggs and young, 

 I turn my attention to the old birds, and find no 

 trouble whatever in getting them to approach 

 the camera. I focus nn a group of nests five or 

 six feet awav, and attach a long thread to tlie 



shutter. Walking back some 

 seventv-five feet I make myself as 

 much like a prostrate inanimate 

 log as possible, and watch my 

 particular group of nests through 

 the glasses. Soon the birds begin 

 til return, nearer and nearer they 

 tome, waddling back and forth, 

 --awing sideway swaths through 

 the air with head and neck, and 

 \enting suspicious liisses upon 

 tlie camera. But in a short time 

 they accept it as a harmless new 

 I' ature in the landscape, and 

 -. ttle themsehes comfcjrtabh' on 

 their respective rubbish piles, 

 perhaps within three or four feet 

 of tlie lens. I now gradually 

 draw the thread taut until I know 

 the picture is taken. After taking 

 three photographs in succession 

 of one group of birds, I find the 

 intervals of waiting have been 

 fifteen minutes, eleven minutes 



and ///rce minutes, showing how 

 \MN(,S . '^ 



soon the birds acquire confi- 

 dence. 



Hut all the exposures are not made so uninter- 

 ruiitedly. Baby pelicans have the bump of 

 curiosity largely developed, and often long be- 

 fore their elders begin to swoop down near the 

 camera, these youngsters appear on the scene, 

 balancing their tipsy w-addling with frantically 

 waved 'wings. Occasionally they pass between 

 me and the camera and thus coming into con- 

 tact with the thread. I find I have an excellent 

 instantaneous jihotograph of empty nests taken 

 for me ! 



What impresses us most as we watch the 

 colony, is the excellent order which the birds 

 preserve among themselves. Any individual out 

 of place is forcibly reminded of it by pecks and 

 nudges until she reaches her own nest. One 

 bird, presumably the female, occupies the nest, 

 while her mate stands on guard close by and 

 keeps other birds from trespassing. Young birds 

 are made to feel that they are distinctly out of 

 place among the occupied nests, and when 

 caught there they have to run a gauntlet of cav- 

 ernous maws until they reach their fellows in the 

 more open places. 



We estimate the number of pelicans on the 

 island at about two thousand, and it is probable 

 that fully one -third of the colony are away 

 fishing. Scores arrive every few minutes, and 

 long lines start off now and then toward the 

 ocean. Some of those arriving have sticks in 

 their beaks, which they add to their nests. 

 Once or twice — jierhaps in their excitement at 

 seeina: us — the stick is liropiied l)efore tlie bird 



