THE PELICAN TRIP 115 



end of the island. It was densely wooded and about 

 an acre in extent, so we thought we should be forgotten. 

 The old ones circled high overhead but at last dropped, 

 I thought, back to the nests. After an hour and a half 

 I returned to the ambush; not a Pelican was there. 

 Two Ravens flew high over, but the Pelicans were far 

 away, and all as when we went away, leaving the 

 young to struggle or get a death-chill as they might. 

 So much for the pious Pelican, the emblem of reckless 

 devotion — a common, dirty little cock Sparrow would 

 put them all to shame. 



We brought away only the 5 rotten eggs. About 

 half of the old Pelicans had horns on the bill. 



On the island we saw a flock of White-winged Cross- 

 bills and heard a Song-sparrow. Gulls were seen about. 

 The white spruce cones littered the ground and were 

 full of seed, showing that no Redsquirrel was on the 

 island. 



We left successfully by dashing out exactly as we 

 came, between the two dangerous currents, and got 

 well away. 



Spruce net-float 20 x 5 x i inches 



