THE BROWN PELICAN 
285 
It is an amiable bird, sociable to an unlimited 
degree, harms no one, and makes no enemies. 
Pelican Island, in Indian River, Brevard 
County, Florida, is the most interesting sight 
in the land of flowers. On an area of about 
three acres, raised only two or three feet above 
high-water mark, destitute of trees because the 
Pelicans have nested them to death, live about 
2,000 Brown Pelicans, and in 1902 they made 
976 nests. During every breeding-season they 
babies, as large as their parents, but covered all 
over with down as white as cotton. 
It is no uncommon thing for a young Pelican 
to have from six to nine mullet in its neck and 
crop at one time, as we have discovered by 
catching some of them with a search-warrant, 
and searching their premises. 
To feed these hungry and appallingly capacious 
pouches, the old birds fly about fifteen miles 
up the coast to fishing-grounds where silver 
Photographed by R. J. Beck. Galapagos Islands. 
CALIFORNIA BROWN FELICAN. 
inhabit that islet, nesting in small nests of grass 
plucked on the spot, and arranged on the ground. 
The few dead mangroves that still stand are 
loaded with stick-made nests, to the point of 
breaking down. 
Egg-laying begins about the first of February, 
and straggles along until the end of May. By 
March 15, the breeding-grounds contain in 
close proximity, unfinished nests, and nests 
with fresh eggs (usually three) ; young just out 
of the shell; half-grown young, and, finally, full- 
grown young. The latter are great hulking 
mullet are plentiful and cheap; and there each 
old bird fills its neck and crop with from six to 
nine fish, each from seven to ten inches in length. 
At evening, just before sunset, in groups of 
from three to seven they slowly wing their way 
back along the beach, flying low over the saw 
palmettos that fringe the shore. They give 
about six wing-beats, then sail as far as possible, 
each little company winging in unison. Several 
times I have lain low in the palmettos, to watch 
their flight at a distance of only a few feet as 
they approached and passed over me. 
