CALIFORNIA COX DOR 81 



reservation by the United States Government and these grotesque birds 



may now breed there undisturbed. The view shows a 



rown e can gp^j^igj^ ^f ^j^p island at the height of the nesting season. 



Notwithstanding the hundreds of young birds that are 



clamoring for food, observation has shown that the parent bird can pick 



out its o\\ni offspring with unfailing accuracy. (Reproduced from 



studies at Pelican Island, Florida.) 



This beautiful bird has been brought to the verge of extinction in 

 this country through the use of its ' 'aigrette plumes' ' 



nowy eron ^^^ miUinerv iJurposes, and is now confined to a few pro- 

 or Egret ^ •. •. 



Qj.Q^ tected rookeries of the South. The birds have these 



plumes only during the nesting season, at which time the 

 death of the parent means the starvation of the young. (Reproduced 

 from studies in a rookery of South Carolina.) 



The turkey vulture, or buzzard, is one of the best known birds of the 

 South, where it performs a valuable service in acting as the 

 ur ey u ure ^pg^ypj^ggj. ^f ^}^g streets. On this account it is protected 

 by law and by public sentiment and has become both abun- 

 dant and tame. (Reproduced from studies at Plumnier Island in the 

 Potomac River, near Washington.) 



The California condor is the largest and one of the rarest of North 

 American birds. It is not so heavy as the condor of the 

 a o"""*^ Andes, but has a slightly greater spread of wing, eight and 



one-half to eleven feet. In the group the visitor is sup- 

 posed to be standing in the interior of the cave where the bird has its 

 nest and is looking do^vn on the river of the canon which is more than 

 five thousand feet below. (Reproduced from studies in Piru Canon 

 California.) 



The foreground of the group shows a detail of the island that is 

 painted in the background. The young birds are feeding, 



J^^^ ^ and it will be noticed that one fledgling is reaching well 



Cormorant o o o 



Qj.Qyp down the mother's throat after the predigested food. 



(Reproduced from studies at Monterey, California.) 

 Formerly this area was an arid place with a characteristic desert bird 

 fauna. Now the ranchmen have irrigated the land and 

 v^n p**""^ aquatic bird-life abounds. This group is a good illustra- 

 tion of the influence of man on the bird-life of a regi<jn. 

 In the breeding season the flamingoes congregate in great numbers in 

 their rookeries. There were estimated to be two thousand 

 amingo nests in this colony. The flamingoes construct their nests 



by scooping up mud with their bills and packing it do^voi 

 by means of bills and feet. The nests are raised to a height of 



