286 



OEDEES OF BIEDS— FULLY-WEBBED SWIMMEES 



Truly they are fine birds, — rich in coloring, 

 remarkably odd in form, and very well set up. 

 Unfortunately they do not acquire their full 

 colors until in their third year. The neck of the 

 adult bird is in two colors, rich blackish-brown 

 and white, and the back is a beautiful silvery 

 gray-brown effect, composed of many tints. The 

 top of the head of the adult bird is yellow. The 

 bill is a foot long, the pouch is of a bluish-purple 



New York Zoological 

 GKEA.T WHITE PELICAN. 



color, and calls for about four pounds of fish 

 daily. 



It is very interesting to watch Pelicans fishing. 

 On calm days when the surface of Indian River 

 is like a mirror, the eruption of silvery spray 

 that rises high when the big bird plunges into 

 the water, attracts attention at a distance of 

 two or three miles. It is finest, however, to 

 see them fishing in the breakers on the ocean 

 side of the Indian River Peninsula, about 200 

 feet from shore. They sail along so near the 

 water it seems a wonder it does not strike them ; 

 but they rise over the incoming waves, and 

 lower again into the trough with the utmost 

 precision, always keenly alert. All of a sudden, 

 the wings are thrown out of gear, and a fountain 



of flying spray tells the story of the plunge with 

 open pouch for the luckless fish. 



For several years the fate of the great Pelican 

 colony in Indian River has been in doubt, and 

 its preservation has been due more to public 

 sentiment in Brevard County than to the arm 

 of the law. In 1903, however, Pelican Island 

 was formally declared to be a government 

 reservation, and placed under the absolute 

 control of the Biological Survey, thus 

 insuring the permanent protection of its 

 occupants. 



The California Brown Pelican 1 so 

 closely resembles the Florida species that 

 the differences between the two are not 

 easily recognized. The accompanying il- 

 lustration is from a photograph taken on 

 the Galapagos Islands, directly under 

 the equator; and from that locality this 

 species ranges northward along the Pa- 

 cific coast to British Columbia. 



The Great White Pelican 2 is a grand 

 bird, — big, clean, immaculate, and with 

 the dignity of a newly appointed judge. 

 About him there are two bad things. In 

 captivity his appetite for fresh fish makes 

 him a costly luxury, and his Latin name 

 always frightens timid people. 



The curious horn seen in winter and 

 spring atop of the bill of this bird is 

 purely a sexual ornament, found only on 

 the male in the breeding-season, after 

 which it drops off. It begins to grow 

 about February 15, is perfect by May 

 1, and drops off not later than July 1. 

 To-day, as a matter of course, the Great 

 White Pelican is a rare bird. On the west 

 coast of Florida, where once it was abundant, 

 I believe it is no longer found. It is yet found 

 inland in certain western localities, where 

 there are lakes large enough to shelter it, and 

 supply it with fish, and it is to be hoped that 

 it will be many years ere this grand bird is 

 exterminated. Fortunately, a colony has be- 

 come established on an island in Yellowstone 

 Lake, in the Yellowstone Park, where it breeds 

 regularly every summer, to the great delight 



1 Pcl-e-ca'nvn californicus. 



2 Pel-e-ca'nvs er-yth-ro-rhyn'chos. Length, 61 

 inches; spread of wings, S feet 10 inches; weight, 

 161 pounds. 



