Sept., 1922 THE SUMMER AVIFAUNA OF BIRD ISLAND, TEXAS 173 
piles or poles used by the fishermen in their seining operations. On May 30 two Water 
Turkeys were found at day-break sitting at the tip of the sand spit at the north end of 
the island. The birds do not breed on the island, as there is no suitable nesting site. 
14. Phalacrocorax vigua mexicanus. Mexican Cormorant. About a dozen seen 
in the Laguna Madre during our travels to and from the island. A pair was seen daily 
at Bird Island, where the birds frequented the spit at the north end, spending hours 
at a time out of the water in company with the pelicans. It is altogether likely that 
the species breeds in suitable places along the Texas coast in this region, though we 
had not the time to hunt for their nests. 
15. Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. White Pelican. There was no evidence of the 
presence of this species when we first reached the island. On May 30 a flock of seven 
was seen on Bird Island, and later in the day the same flock was seen again on Little 
Bird. These seven were seen daily from this date, and on the afternoon of June 1 a 
flock of forty-six came to Big Bird, and they were still there when we left the next 
day. Pearson found them with young already hatched on Little Bird on May 23, 1920; 
in 1921 either they were not breeding on the islands, or else the nesting had not yet 
begun. The behavior of the large flock indicated strongly that the nesting was not in 
progress. Compared with the Brown Pelicans, the White were extremely timid and 
could not be approached for photographic purposes. 
16. Pelecanus occidentalis. Brown Pelican. An abundant breeding species on 
Bird Island only, where there were at least 400 nests as compared with the 48 nests 
found in 1920 by Pearson. The Pelicans occupied about one quarter of the island, and 
this region was occupied by no other species except a few Reddish Eegrets that nested 
around the edge of the rookery. Almost every stage in the life history was present. 
Nests which contained perfectly fresh eggs, the complement not yet completed, were 
found by the side of nests already deserted by the young which were wandering about 
in great flocks, but which were not yet old enough to enter the water. Every stage in 
the development of the young was there: young were watched as they came from the 
egg—hblack, naked, hideous little creatures—while other nests showed families in all 
stages of down development and primary growth. The average number of eggs or young 
per nest was three. The young leave the nest almost before they are able to walk, 
and flop around on the ground using the wings and legs in their efforts at locomotion. 
These young do not wander far, but return to the nest, climbing back into it with the 
aid of legs, wings and bill. The food consists mainly of mullet (Mugil cephalus) and 
menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) as shown by regurgitations as well as by a peculiar 
habit evidenced in a number of cases where perfectly whole, fresh fish were placed in 
the nest with the young. These the babies pick at for a time, but do not eat, and the 
fish are allowed to remain in the nest until the stench is terrible. In “fact, the 
whole pelican rookery reeked. The mortality among the young is very great, due 
largely to the heat. If the young chance to hatch during the absence of the adults, 
they are almost certain to die as a result of exposure to the unmerciful sun. A number 
of such deaths were witnessed, occurring within half an hour after hatching. Fully 
200 eggs lay on the ground among the nests, decomposing in the heat, and every once 
in a while one of these would explode, reminding one in more ways than one, of a gas 
bomb! Many older birds, young well advanced in the wandering stage, were found 
dead, this being probably due largely to the punishment they receive if they chance to 
wander within the reach of the bill of an incubating pelican. The old birds whack the 
babies over the head with a snap of the bill that can be heard amid the din of the 
rookery for a distance of fifty yards. It is very evident that these blows daze the young- 
sters, who stagger away drunkenly as a result. For a further account of these birds, 
the reader is referred to a paper by the writer dealing with this rookery (7). 
17. Anas fulvigula maculosa. Mottled Duck. Hight representatives of this spe- 
cies were seen en route to the island. These birds were found in little coves or bays of 
the mainland, and they undoubtedly breed in favorable localities. A single individual 
was seen sitting on the beach of Little Bird on May 30. 
18. Marila affinis. Bluebill. A male and two females were seen off the north 
end of Bird Island on May 29, 30 and 31, on which date they disappeared. They were 
never seen to fly, and it is possible that they were “cripples” left over from the hunting 
season. It is altogether possible that such “winged” birds breed locally. 
19. Ajaia ajaja. Roseate Spoonbill. Three “flamingos” were found on May 30 
