form, gave it the name erythrorhynchos, 

 which is now used by ornithologists. This 

 name has its origin in two Greek words, 

 meaning red and bill. 



The peculiar growth or crest on the bill 

 which disappears soon after the breeding 

 season, varies greatly both in size and 

 shape. Dr. Ridgway says : "Frequently 

 it consists of a single piece, nearly as high 

 as long, its vertical outlines almost par- 

 allel, and the upper outline quite regular- 

 ly convex, the largest specimen seen be- 

 ing about three inches high, by as many 

 in length. More frequently, however, it 

 is very irregular in shape, usually less ele- 

 vated, and not infrequently with ragged 

 anterior, or even posterior continuations." 

 At this time the bill is also more or less 

 orange-red in color. 



An excellent narrative of the habits of 

 the White Pelican is given in the Orni- 

 thology of Illinois, where Dr. Ridgway 

 quotes the words of Col. N. S. Goss re- 

 garding those who "have not seen the 

 White Pelicans upon their feeding 

 grounds, but may have read Audu- 

 bon's interesting description of the man- 

 ner in which the birds unite and drive the 

 fishes into shallow water, where they can 

 catch them, which they cannot well do in 

 deep water, as their skins are honey- 

 combed with air cells that buoy them up 

 like cork, and prevent their diving, and 

 they do not plunge for their food when 

 upon the wing, like their cousins, the 

 Brown Pelicans, and therefore have to 

 adopt fishing habits suited to shallow 

 waters. I have often noticed the birds in 

 flocks, in pairs, or alone, swimming on the 

 water with partially opened wings, and 

 head drawn down and back, the bill just 

 clearing the water, ready to strike and 

 gobble up the prey within their reach; 

 when so fishing, if they ran into a shoal of 

 minnows, they would stretch out their 

 necks, drop their heads upon the water, 

 and with open mouths and extended 

 pouches, scoop up the tiny fry. Their fa- 

 vorite time for fishing on the seashore is 

 during the incoming tide, as with it come 

 the small fishes to feed upon the insects 

 caught ;n the rise, and upon the low 

 form of life in the drift, as it washes shore- 

 ward, the larger fishes following in their 

 wake, each, from the smallest to the larg- 



est, eagerly engaged in taking life in order 

 to sustain life. All sea-birds know this, 

 and the time of its coming well. The 

 White Pelicans, that have been patiently 

 waiting in line along the beach, quietly 

 move into the water and glide smoothly 

 out so as not to frighten the life beneath. 

 At a suitable distance from the shore they 

 form into line in accordance with the sin- 

 uosities of the beach, each facing shore- 

 ward and awaiting their leader's signal to 

 start. When this is given, all is commo- 

 tion ; the birds, rapidly striking the water 

 with their wings, throwing it high above 

 them and plunging their heads in and out, 

 fairly make the water foam as they move 

 in an almost unbroken line, filling their 

 pouches as they go. When satisfied with 

 their catch, they wade and waddle into 

 line again upon the beach, where they re- 

 main to rest, standing or sitting as suits 

 them best, until they have leisurely swal- 

 lowed the fishes in their nets ; then, if un- 

 disturbed, they generally rise in a flock 

 and circle for a long time high in air." 



The While Pelicans will consume a 

 large amount of food ; in fact, they are 

 gluttonous. It is said that the remains of 

 several hundred minnows have been taken 

 from the stomach of a single pelican. 

 Usually they are the most active in the 

 pursuit of their prey for a short time after 

 sunrise and also before sunset. 



The chief breeding grounds of the 

 White Pelican are from Minnesota north- 

 wards to the limit of its range. It nests 

 also in isolated and greatly separated 

 localities to the westward. It is said that 

 several thousand permanently breed on 

 the islands of the great Salt Lake. There 

 are reasons for believing that it also 

 breeds in Florida and westward along 

 the Gulf of Mexico as far as Texas. 



The White Pelican builds its nest on 

 the ground using small sticks and twigs. 

 They usually select a clump of sage or 

 some other plant that will afford the nest 

 some protection. Frequently sand is 

 heaped around the nest to the depth of 

 about six inches. The nests are about one 

 foot in diameter. The color of the two to 

 four eggs is a chalky white and the sur- 

 face is quite rough, due to the irregular 

 thickness of the outer coating. The aver- 

 age size of the eggs is about three and 

 one-half bv two and one-third inches. 



]13 



