1202 PELECANUS PHILIPPINENSIS. 



must have walked at least twenty miles in various directions, but never from first to last was I out of sight 

 of either a Pelican's or Adjutant's nest. From what I saw and from what the Burmans told me, I compute 

 the breeding-place of these birds to extend over an area about twelve miles long and five broad. 



" I shall describe the Adjutants nests presently; but, with regard to the Pelicans, I noticed that no tree 

 contained less than three nests and seldom more than fifteen. Some birds select the upper branches, placing 

 their nest in a fork ; but others, the majority, placed their nests on the nearly horizontal branches of the tree 

 not far from the trunk. In all cases the nests on one branch touch each other, and when these nests were 

 on a horizontal branch they looked like enormous beads. 



" Judging from the size of the bird, I should say the nest is about 2 feet in diameter, and, when in a 

 fork, to be about 18 inches deep. Others on flat branches were shallower. They are composed entirely of 

 twigs aud small branches ; and I could detect no lining in those nests which were thrown down to me. 



"The eggs are invariably three in number, and on the 11th of November all I took were either fresh 

 or only slightly incubated. The female bird sits very closely, and frequently I found that the bird would not 

 fly off her eggs till I fired a gun. It was a most ludicrous sight to see the sitting birds stretch neck and 

 head out of the nest to have a look at us, as often happened. 



" The only trees which the Burmans can climb on the spur of the moment are those which their arms 

 can encircle. To be able to climb any tree it is necessary to make bamboo spikes the day before. These are 

 driven into the trunk as the man mounts, and the operation, even for the tallest tree, does not take very long. 



" Notwithstanding the millions of birds which breed in this forest, a most wonderful silence prevails. 

 The Pelican seems to be perfectly mute, and the Adjutants only bellow at intervals; the only sound which 

 is constantly heard, and after a time even this sound passes unnoticed, is a sort of iEolian harp, caused by 

 the movements of innumerable birds high in the air." 



In a large series of eggs taken by Mr. Oates, some are said by him to be so discoloured as to be almost 

 black. The largest measured 3*3 inches by 2 - 08, and the smallest 2'95 by 2'05. 



STEGANOPODES. 

 Fam. FEEGATIDiE*. 



Bill straight and' hooked at the tip. "Wings very long. Tail long and deeply forked. 

 Tarsus very short, feathered. Toes long, only connected at the base by a web. 



Plumage illumined with metallic reflections. Chin furnished with a pouch. Sternum with 

 the furcula long and completely joined to the keel ; coracoid bones very broad and stout at the 

 base. 



* These remarkable birds have all the external appearance of the Eaptorial order, to which they likewise assimilate 

 in plumage and somewhat in their mode of living. Notwithstanding, however, their strong affinities with the Aeeipitres, 

 the internal structure of the Frigate-bird is that of the Pelecanidae ; and this is particularly exemplified in the way the 

 keel of the sternum and the furcula are joined ; while also, in the matter of bill and pouch, they resemble the Cormorants. 

 But, in spite of these characters, some learned systeraatists (aud among them the late talented Professor Garrodj haw 

 considered the Frigate-birds to form an aberrant section of the Aeeipitres. 



