THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



cans "tijeras" (scissors), from the scissor- 

 like movement of the two long tail feathers 

 when the birds are on the wing. They are 

 totipalmate birds of no swimming power, 

 with very small, weak feet, and conse- 

 quently they perch only upon their nests 

 on the mangroves. Never alighting on 

 land nor resting upon the water, much of 

 their life is passed in the air. Upon the 

 wing they are graceful in the highest de- 

 gree, the strokes of their large wings being 

 slow and 

 willowy. At 

 times they sail 

 idly about, 

 often ascend- 

 ing to a great 

 height, where 

 they may be 

 seen by the 

 aid of a field 

 glass, idly 

 floating in cir- 

 cles. 



During the 

 daj- most of 

 the colony are 

 at rest upon 

 the m a n - 

 groves, but 

 there are al- 

 ways many 

 circling above 

 the rookery, 



and their number would be increased three 

 fold by the discharge of a gun, which 

 would cause others which were at rest to 

 take wing in alarm; but I believe none of 

 the .sitting birds left their nests until re- 

 lieved by their mates or frightened by my 

 approach. There was no difiiculty in ap- 

 ])roaching near enough by ])oat or by 

 climbing over and through the mangroves 

 to all but seize the birds upon their nests; 

 in fact, the Mexican with me did succeed 

 in catching some alive. They seemed be- 

 wildered by the pre.sence of anyone ap- 

 proaching through the mangroves fruin ihe 

 shore side, but when in a boat the intruder 



Rising From the Nest. 



was more exposed to view; still, several 

 birds were taken by striking them down 

 with an oar as they pitched from the man- 

 groves to fly over the lagoon past the boat. 

 Upon the water they beat their wings help- 

 lessly and were able to rise only with the 

 greatest difficulty. 



Away from the rookery they were cau- 

 tious in approaching any one within gun- 

 shot, and when crossing the island to the 

 ocean every morning at daybreak they flew 



high above 

 gun-shot. 



Sometimes 

 a few dozen 

 would be seen 

 inland, cir- 

 cling above 

 the island and 

 descending as 

 though in 

 search of food, 

 but never 

 alighting. 

 Even over the 

 water the food 

 is usually ob- 

 tained by a 

 quick down- 

 ward sweep 

 and the sur- 

 face scarcely 

 disturbed. 

 They pro- 

 upon fish, as 

 some of the 



bably subsist mainly 

 small ones were found in 

 nests and upon the ground below, where 

 they had fallen. The stomachs of all the 

 birds examined were quite empty or con- 

 tained slender parasitic worms. 



The principal feeding ground was out at 

 sea, but an opportunity was never lost to 

 rob the Cormorants, both of fish and 

 materials brought for their nests. The 

 Cormorants, it may be explained, occupied 

 a rookery in the same locality and their 

 nests were usually slightly remote from the 

 main rookery of the Frigate Pelicans. 

 Whatever Cormorants' nests were near. 



