THE OOLOGIST 



33 



was the colony of American White 

 Pelicans nesting. 



Their line of nest extended clear 

 across the island and was about 30 

 feet wide, here were hundred of eggs, 

 young birds just hatched and some 

 half-grown birds. 



Following and just back of this col- 

 ony of Pelicans was a colony of some 

 25 Ring Bill a'nd 25 California Gulls' 

 nests with eggs. These birds had just 

 begun to nest and no young blrd3 

 were found. 



About 20 feet further back of the 

 Gull Colony, was a second colony of 

 Pelicans about as large as the first, 

 and where there were many young 

 birds. 



All eggs were far advanced in in- 

 cubation, and I judge that May 25 

 would about begin the time of in- 

 cubation of the Pelicans. 



Not much pretentions are made by 

 this bird for nest building although 

 generally the eggs are laid in a slight 

 hollow of dried tules, but ths nests 

 were so close together that the birds 

 must touch each other when sitting. 



The eggs are generally two in num- 

 ber, although a' few were found with 

 three, and three young in some nests. 



Many single eggs and birds were al- 

 so observed, showing that some birds 

 at least incubate only one egg. 



While the photos were being taken, 

 and a few specimens collected, the 

 large colony, and I judge there were at 

 least 250 birds breeding there, sat 

 quietly out on the water only a' short 

 distance from us. The young birds 

 were very docile and po3ed readily 

 for pictures at four feet. 



While the pelicans were quietly rest- 

 ing, the Gulls kept up a constant 

 flight over our heads until we left. 



The Pelican is a bird of very large 

 size and appears very awkward, but 

 is a' bird of magnificent flight. 



Nearly every morning an i:nmen3e 

 number of Pelicans may be seen gracl- 



ually rising into the air in a large cir- 

 cular movement and going higher and 

 higher, until they entirely disappear, 

 and after a short interval a'gain ap- 

 pear, their wings set as if perfectly 

 motionless, and again swinging in that 

 circular movement, come back to 

 earth. 



The eggs are of a chalky white 

 color and generally much stained. 

 These birds present a beautiful sight 

 out upon the open waters of the lake 

 and can be seen for miles away. 



Nesting in this colony were also 

 some half dozen pair of the Parallone 

 Cormorant which occupy raised nests 

 some two feet above the ground, and 

 may be observed in the photos pub- 

 lished with this article. 



The California and Ring Billed Gulls' 

 nest contained two eggs each, and 

 only one nest was found containing 

 three eggs. 



Their date of beginning incubation is 

 about June 1st, while 75 per cent of 

 the Pelica'ns are hatched by this date. 

 Dr. A. G. Prill, 



Scio, Oregon. 



1. Young half grown Pelicans, see 

 page 34. 



2. View Pelicans leaving nests, see 

 page 6. 



3. View young Pelicans in nest, see 

 page 7. 



4. Pelicans, Gulls and Cormorants, 

 see page 35. 



HUNTING HAWKS' NESTS 



This past season a friend of mine, 

 Harry Grandquist, and myself spent 

 considera'ble of our spare time and off 

 days in looking up the Hawks. 



The object of this persecution was 

 to get a few photos of nests of the 

 different species. Hawks are far 

 from being as common as they were 

 a few years ago, and seem to be get- 

 ting scarcer each year. 



We made a number of trips into a 

 wild region nearby in the heart of 



