200 



BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA 



During no hour of the twenty-four did silence 

 reign on Pelican Island ; if I went on deck at mid- 



104. Head and pouch of Brown Pelican. From a fresh specimen. 



night, the notes of some complaining or pugna- 

 cious young Pelicans, who in their sleep had 

 come into too close quarters, were sure to be 

 heard. But the Pelicans' day began at early dawn, 

 when I could distinguish the diagonal files of 

 from two to a dozen birds solemnly and silently 

 starting out for the fishing grounds. One might 

 think that, like a boat's crew, their strokes were 

 controlled by a coxswain, as in perfect unison 

 they all flapped their broad wings for about ten 



