Mar., 1917 EFFECTS UPON BIRD LIFE OF THE CORPUS CHRISTI STORM 45 



its head to the ground and seemingly jump straight up in order that the wind 

 might carry it a few feet inland. In most instances the head would drag on 

 the ground something like an anchor, and after accepting such a boost the gull 

 would let its body fall down flat. In case it lost its balance and was taken up 

 by the wind and turned over, it would draw up its legs and contract its wings 

 so that when it hit the sand it would roll over and over. In this way many of 

 them worked their way far enough inland to avoid the terrible crash of the de- 

 bris that was brought in by the waves after the first set had reached the shore 

 and the water had risen to a point somewhat above high tide. 



As the foaming waves began to deposit the wrecks of bath houses, piers 

 and pavilions along the beach, many water birds of various kinds could be seen 

 in the wreckage. Some of them were alive ; though it seems impossible, several 

 gulls and terns fluttered out of the drifts and escaped to the shore. The ..waves 

 pounded the drifts with such force that if a bird did not escape as soon as it 

 came in. there was no hope for it, since it would surely be crushed between tim- 

 bers. 



The next morning great drifts of tangled masses of what had been trim- 

 limbed cranes and pouch-mouthed pelicans could be seen. A few cripples were 

 found: two great gray pelicans, one with his leg broken just above the knee 

 and the other with a broken wing ; three terns with broken wings, one of them 

 having both wings broken ; and five gulls with broken wings. One very large 

 crane having one wing and one leg broken was still ready to defend himself 

 with a spirit that deserved admiration. 



A man who w T as marooned on one of the low islands which was swept by 

 waves, climbed the largest tree on the island, a mere bush, and as he was wait- 

 ing, he knew not w r hat for, he saw a crane nestling behind a large rock that 

 protruded above the water. Although he w T as not an ornithologist, a feeling 

 of sympathy was aroused, and he watched with much concern as the water be- 

 came higher and raised the crane above the rock. 



"Old fellow I hope we'll both pull through," he said as he took a fresh 

 hold with his numb hands. But the winds continued and the water kept rising. 

 He had to draw his legs up to keep his feet out of the water. "I guess we'll 

 go pretty soon. Well here's to you. You understand the game better than I 

 do." The crane was on top of the rock now, but it w T as keeping its body as 

 near the surface of the w T ater as possible. A flock of gulls was driven past and 

 their screams could be heard above the roar of the waves. The crane strained 

 himself as if ready to try the waves. Then with an eager turn of the head from 

 side to side he plunged into the water and allowed himself to drift before the 

 storm. "Good-bye, old fellow." The next morning when a boat came to the 

 rescue, one of the first things the man asked was, "I wonder how that old 

 crane made out ! ' ' 



No one witnessed the destruction of the gallinules. A large colony of these 

 birds was completely exterminated. Their portion of the island Avas complete- 

 ly swept by water, and the next afternoon many of them drifted to shore just 

 above the city of Corpus Christi. With these birds that drifted in were sev- 

 eral eggs floating unbroken in the salt water. Why could not a Purple Galli- 

 nule, that graceful, trim-built, active, fish-eating bird take care of itself in a 

 storm as well as a sea-gull? An expert diver and an excellent swimmer should 

 be able to float. While a few live pelicans could be found after the storm, no- 

 body reported seeing a live Purple Gallinule for several days. 



