108 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Ser. 



singly. When not fishing, this bird roosts on the rocks and 

 on the mangroves which are in many places found growing 

 along the sea-coast proper. Once or twice it was seen on the 

 ledges of sea-cliffs. Although quite easy to approach, it was 

 somewhat warier than the boobies. Occasionally one could 

 be surprised while standing asleep with its bill stuck down 

 the middle of its back. When approached closely, this species 

 keeps its wings trembling as if nervous. The habit is perhaps 

 similar to the twitching of the tail in certain herons. 



In the Galapagos Islands Brown Pelicans serve as scaven- 

 gers. On several occasions they were observed to pick up the 

 bodies of large birds, after we had skinned them and thrown 

 them overboard. In one case an immature pelican had got 

 the bodies of two Galapagos Hawks into its pouch, and was 

 unable to swallow them. Likewise it was unable to fly on 

 account of the weight. It was probably grateful when we 

 rowed up to it, where it was sitting on the water, and removed 

 the impedimenta, for it flew away joyfully enough after- 

 wards. 



We never saw a pelican make a graceful dive. Invariably 

 they just tumbled into the water from a few feet above it. 

 They often fished along the line of small breakers close to the 

 shore, and after making such a dive, frequently had to get up 

 hurriedly to avoid being overwhelmed by a wave. 



No noise was ever heard from this species, except from the 

 young birds in the nests ; and they can squawk vociferously — 

 the squawk being long and hoarse. 



When nesting, the adult will frequently allow a person to 

 approach within two or three feet of it before leaving the nest, 

 which it makes no attempt to defend. I saw a pair copulating 

 on their nest at Tagus Cove, Albemarle Island, on April 1. 

 They had no eggs in the nest. All of the other nests of the 

 colony of ten or twelve had single birds on them. Some had 

 eggs, others none. The nests were bulky affairs of sticks 

 built in bushes on a steep hillside close to the water. The area 

 occupied was about one hundred yards by twenty-five yards. 

 The birds were somewhat wary, some flying upon the near 

 approach of the boat. 



At South Seymour Island, on November 22, three nests 

 were seen in a low tree near the shore. Two had one young- 



