THE FRIGATE PELICAN, 
631 
robs the Pelican in a very ingenious manner. As tbe industrious bird flies home laden with 
the finny spoil, the hawk swoops down upon it and ruffles its wings in so threatening a manner 
that the Pelican screams with terror. The hawk snatches the fish out of the bird’s pouch and 
flies off, leaving the poor Pelican to return and replenish its pouch. It is a rather curious 
fact, that in the Pelican the tongue, which is so large and curiously constructed in many 
birds, is almost wanting, and is represented by a little fleshy knob. 
The American White Pelican (. Pelecanus erythrorTiyncTius). This beautiful bird has 
a range northward as far as latitude 61°, and possibly farther. It is seldom seen in New 
England, being properly a Western species. It is abundant west of the Mississippi, and 
is known along the latter river, southward as far as Texas and Florida. 
Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus fuscus ). This is tbe most interesting as it is the most familiar 
species in America. It is rarely seen farther east than Cape Hatteras, but is exceedingly com- 
mon on the Florida Beef, and along the Gulf coast of Florida. It was formerly abundant in 
Charleston (S. C.) harbor, but is now seldom seen there. The editor of this edition had excel- 
lent opportunities to observe the habits of this bird at the Dry Tortugas. Around the island, 
on which is situated Fort Jefferson, are small islands or keys, some of which have slender 
half -grown mangrove trees, mere shrubs in size. On the slender outstretched branches of 
these small trees were several nests of the Brown Pelican. It is surprising how the eggs 
or the young are retained at all times in the nests, as the weight of the parent bird when 
it alights, carries the nest nearly to the ground. The eggs are singularly rough and chalk- 
like. The old birds remained in the same locality several years, as some of them could by 
certain marks be recognized. 
The last bird on our list is the well-known Frigate Bird, Sea Hawk, or Man-of-Wae 
Bird, an inhabitant of the tropical seas. 
The Frigate Pelican ( Tachypetes aqiiila). This unique bird is the only one of its 
family known to North America, and is probably the same found in the southern half of this 
continent. It is strictly a maritime bird, and one that exhibits the most wonderful powers of 
flight. 
Note by the Editor of this Edition. — During a long residence as United States 
medical officer at the fortifications on the Florida reef, where this bird is almost limited 
in its range, we observed its habits very carefully. In the winter season the Frigate Bird, 
or Man-o’-war Bird, as it is called on the reef, resorts to the Tortugas Island, on which 
is situated Fort Jefferson. Here it was seen in flocks of twenty or more hovering over 
the fortress, and quite regularly over the region of the light-house tower. As this bird 
seemed to present the most remarkable example of the buoyancy or other conditions that 
serve to sustain them in air for long periods, without, seemingly, any movement of the 
wings or feathers, we improved the opportunity to observe the birds from the tall tower. 
Here, with glass of good power, we had as perfect a view as was necessary to witness 
the exact state of the birds as they swayed over us. Humboldt and Darwin have given some 
attention to the subject, but express an inability to explain the phenomenon of the birds’ com- 
plete buoyancy. The fact that these and other soaring birds depend upon a strong breeze for 
their remarkable buoyancy seemed to have escaped their notice. Therein lies the secret. The 
Tachypetes represents the greatest spread of wing with the smallest body. When there is but 
little breeze stirring, this bird, like all others, must use its wings to assist in soaring. When a 
strong wind is blowing, the Frigate Bird is seen facing the wind, and swaying with outstretched 
but motionless wings, and never passing far away from its present station during the continu- 
ance of the gale. During the hardest “northers” these birds maintain their position in mid- 
air as if no force was acting to push them away ; yet we see there is a most powerful agent, the 
wind, which in nearly its greatest strength, is forcing against the birds, and, naturally, would 
drive them before it. We know that the bird does not use any force of the wings to prevent 
