North American Birds Eggs. 67 



127. California Brown Pelican. Prlmiiiiia raHfoniinitt. 



Range. — Pacific coast from British Columbia .south to the Galapagos Islands. 



Ihis Inrd IS similar to the preceding, hut larger and the pouch is reddisli. 

 Ihey breed abundantly on the Ooronado Islands and soutliward. Their baliits, 

 nesting habits and eggs are the same as those of the Brown Pelican. Size of tlie 

 tliree or four chalky white eggs is 3.10 .x 1.95. Data.-Conmado Islands, Calif., 

 Mar. 2H, ISib. Three eggs. Nest of sticks, lined with green leaves, located on 

 the ground. Collector, H. McCcinville. 



MAN-O'-WAR BIRDS. Family FREGATIDAE. 

 (28. Man-o'-War Bird. Frqiata (Kjiiiln. 



Range.— Tropical seas, north regularly in America to the South Atlantic and 

 Gulf coasts, casually farther. 



Man-o'-War Birds (jr "Fri- 



^^- ' '~ --..^ gates," as they are often called, 



y^ ^'-^^ are remarkable birds in many re- 



/ ''--, spects. In comparison with 



/ " their weight they liave the larg- 



/ est expanse of wing of any known 



/ ■ bird. Weighing only about four 



' \ pounds they have an extent of 



from seven to eiglit feet, their 

 wings being extremely long and 

 \ ' pointed. The length of the bird 



is about 40 inches, of which the 



tail comprises about IS in., 10 



., ,. inches of this beingforked. They 



have a large l>right orange gular 



sac, a long, hooked bill, and 



small slightly webbed feet. 



IWliite J Their powers of flight combine 



the strength of the Al))atrosses 

 and the grace of the Terns. They are very poor swimmers and do not dive, so 

 are forced to procure their food liy preying upon the Gulls and Cormorants, 

 forcing them to drop their fish, which the pirates catcli before it reaches the 

 water. They also feed upon flying fish, catching them in the air, whither they 

 have been driven by their enemies in their natural element. They nest in large 

 colonies on some of tlie Bahama Islands and on s(jme of the small Fhjrida Keys. 

 Their nests are small frail jjlatforms of sticks and twigs and the single egg is 

 laid in March and April. It is white and has a smooth surface. Size 2. 80 x 1.90. 

 Data. — Key Verde, Bahamas, Mar. 6, 1HS9. Single egg. Nest a frail affair of 

 sticks on a cactus. Collector, D. P. Ingraham. 



Order V. ANSERES. 

 DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS. Family ANATIDAE. 



The birds comprising this family are (jf greatly varying sizes, but all have 

 webbed feet, and generally the liill is broader than high, and is serrated on the 

 edges or provided with gutters to act as a strainer in assisting the birds to gatlier 

 their food. 

 129. American Merganser. Mrrfianscr amrrirami-s. 



Range. — Nortli America, breeding from the northern border of the United 

 States northward. 



The three species of Mergansers are almost exclusively fisli eating birds. 

 Therefore their flesh is unpalatalde anil they are known as "Fish Ducks." They 

 are also sometimes called "Saw-bills" because of the teeth-like serration on both 

 the upper and the under mandililes. Unlike tlie other species of ducks, their 

 bills are long, slender and rounded instead of being broad and flat; it is also 

 hooked at the tip. Like the Cormorants, they often pursue and catch fish under 

 the water, their teeth-like bills enabling them to firmly hold their prey. 



