402 ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM THE WEST. 
spotted ; that of the pelican is white, and about as large as a goose 
egg.” (Stansbury’s Report, p. 179.) 
Again, on page 188, under date of Antelope Island, May 20th, 
Captain Stansbury observes :— . 
“ Before we passed around the point of Antelope Island, we 
stopped for a few moments at the little islet near it, where the 
number of gulls and pelicans was, if possible, greater than we had 
seen on Gunnison’s Island. The whole islet was covered with 
eggs, chiefly those of gulls, and with innumerable young birds, 
just hatched, the most of which on our appearance instinctively 
concealed themselves among the crevices of the rocks, while the 
parent birds, in countless numbers, anxiously hovered over Us, 
filling the air with their discordant cries. Some young herons and 
cormorants were also found amid the colony of gulls — the former 
fierce and full of fight, the latter timid and alarmed, running from 
their nests to the water, where they endeavored to conceal them- 
selves by persevering but abortive attempts to dive. We filled 
half a barrel with the eggs, but most of them proved to be bad. 
The waters of the Salt Lake, of course, afford these birds no 
food. That of the pelican, says Stansbury (p. 193), “consists en- 
tirely of fish, which they must necessarily obtain either from 
River, from the Weber, the Jordan, or from the Warm Springs 
on the eastern side of Spring Valley, at all of which places 
they were observed fishing for food. The nearest of these points 
is more than thirty miles distant, making necessary à flight of at 
least sixty miles to procure and transport food for the sustenance 
in the common habitat of the species. My own experien 
been that at southern localities, the songs of certain spec 
abbreviated, and generally uttered with less energy than at 
north. In other cases, garrulous birds, like the jays 
all at others, when in color or other features they differ but 
s s ‘ . i i in their A a 
if at all, there being as it were local dialects in ta that differ 
languages. On the other hand, the songs of species + to deff 
widely in color, are sometimes so closely similar as almos! e 
by their songs i 
the most discriminating ear to detect the species 
and some A 
others, have certain common notes at some localities not 20°. on 
