BIRDS FOUND NEAR SHORE OR IN BAYS 55 



It is the White Pelican that the gulls torment so by 

 stealing his hard-earned catch time after time. And 

 the Pelican, always of dignified and care-burdened mien, 

 looks comically disconsolate over losing his dinner in 

 this fashion. Yet he makes no attempt to defend him- 

 self, for he has no chance ; the quick gulls have seized 

 the booty and fled before his slow brain and slower 

 body can move to resent the robbery. 



127. CALIFORNIA BROWN FELIC AN. — Pelecanus 



califomicus. 



Family : The Pelicans. 



Length : 4J-5 feet. 



Nuptial Plumage : Head and chin white, the top of head tinged with 

 straw-yellow ; a chestnut patch more or less lengthened to crest on 

 back of head ; neck chestnut, merging to seal-brown ; upper parts, 

 including wings and tail, silver gray, more or less streaked with seal- 

 brown ; under parts dark brownish, streaked with white ; pouch and 

 feel red. 



Adults in Winter: Similar, but entire head and neck white, somewhat 

 tinged with straw-color ; pouch and feet dull olive. 



Ymmg: Head, neck, and upper parts light-brownish gray, tipped with 

 paler; under parts white, washed with brownish gray on sides. 



Geographical Distribution: Pacific coast from British Columbia to the 

 Galapagos. 



Breeding Range ; Islands off coast of Lower California and Mexico. 



Breeding Season : May and June. 



Nest: Usually on the ground, sometimes in the mangrove trees ; a 

 ' loosely constructed, rather bulky mass of sticks and weed-stalks ; lined 

 with grass. 



Eggs: 2 to 5 ; chalky white. Size 3.00,X 2.01. 



The California Brown Pelican is abundant through- 

 out California, especially from Santa Cruz southward. 

 At almost any time of the day during the fall, winter, 

 and early spring, a flock of them may be seen lazily 



