The White Pelican 



is a mass of air cells between the surface skin and the body nearly three- 

 quarters of an inch thick, which can be inflated at will, and which no 

 doubt accounts for the easy flight and wonderful soaring of this un- 

 gainly bird. Their method of securing fish is interesting, and almost 

 shows brain work. Just after dark and frequently during the night, 

 loud splashings could be heard. This we found to be caused by the 



Taken in Siskiyou County 



HELPING HIMSELF 



Photo by Wm. L. Finley and H. T. Bohlman 



pelicans forming in line out in the shallows and then starting shore- 

 wards with much flapping of wings on the water in order to drive the 

 fish where the water was shoal enough for them to be easily caught 

 by the birds. In fact this is the only method of fishing that they could 

 employ, for the water is neither clear nor deep enough for them to fol- 

 low such diving tactics as are adopted by P. californicus on our coasts." 

 According to local rumor, a shifting colony of Pelicans has main- 

 tained itself on Tulare Lake for a great many years. As we were skirt- 

 ing the western shore of the lake on May 14th, 1912, we saw many birds, 

 and a young man who herded cattle hard by told us minutely of the 

 location of a colony of White Pelicans breeding on a tiny island some 



1968 



