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Bird - Lore 



Soon their whole aspect of precision changed to individual alertness, and 

 with bill pointed downward and widespread wings, one shot like a torpedo 

 from the sky, and plunged head first beneath the surface of the water, closing 

 its wings and turning its body partly over as it disappeared beneath the waves. 

 When it reappeared with a squirming fish in its bill, the ever-watchful Sea Gull, 



YOUNG CAXIFORNIA BROWN PFLTCAN SHOWING HOOKED BILL 



who, flying close to the water, is ever in hot pursuit of the Pelican on its fish- 

 ing excursions, was a 'Johnny-on-the-spot' to assist in devouring the savory 

 meal. The Gull often snatches the fish from the Pelican's bill before the latter 

 can lift its head and start it 'down grade' into its fish-net pouch of elastic skin, 

 or confuses its slow thinking faculties, so that the fish falls back into the water, 

 an easy prey to the Gull's insatiable greed. After a hearty meal, the PeHcan 

 rests upon the rocking waves with its long bill held close to its neck and its 

 dreamy eyes looking into space — perfect contentment expressed in its digni- 

 fied lassitude. 



I saw a Pelican in an endeavor to fly from the water onto a buoy, mis- 

 calculate the distance. Flapping its heavy wings, it slowly gained the air; but 

 was too near the buoy to raise itself sufficiently to alight, so slid awkwardly 

 back into the water, then swam some twenty feet away, made a second attempt 

 and settled upon the high-tilted end of the bobbing buoy and, with outspread 

 wings, balanced itself until equilibrium could be maintained, when it went 

 through a thorough preening of its feathers, like a Swan, running each long 

 quill through its bill, then flirting the moisture from its tip into the air. 



