286 
ORDERS OF BIRDS— FULLY- WEBBED SWIMMERS 
Truly they are fine birds, — rich in coloring, 
remarkably odd in form, and very well set up. 
Unfortunately they do not acquire their full 
colors until in their third year. The neck of the 
adult bird is in two colors, rich blackish-brown 
and white, and the back is a beautiful silvery 
gray-brown effect, composed of many tints. The 
top of the head of the adult bird is yellow. The 
bill is a foot long, the pouch is of a bluish-purple 
New York Zoological 
GREAT WHITE PELICAN. 
color, and calls for about four pounds of fish 
daily. 
It is very interesting to watch Pelicans fishing. 
On calm days when the surface of Indian River 
is like a mirror, the eruption of silvery spray 
that rises high when the big bird plunges into 
the water, attracts attention at a distance of 
two or three miles. It is finest, however, to 
see them fishing in the breakers on the ocean 
side of the Indian River Peninsula, about 200 
feet from shore. They sail along so near the 
water it seems a wonder it does not strike them ; 
but they rise over the incoming waves, and 
lower again into the trough with the utmost 
precision, always keenly alert. All of a sudden, 
the wings are thrown out of gear, and a fountain 
of flying spray tells the story of the plunge with 
open pouch for the luckless fish. 
For several years the fate of the great Pelican 
colony in Indian River has been in doubt, and 
its preservation has been due more to public 
sentiment in Brevard County than to the arm 
of the law. In 1903, however, Pelican Island 
was formally declared to be a government 
reservation, and placed under the absolute 
control of the Biological Survey, thus 
insuring the permanent protection of its 
occupants. 
The California Brown Pelican 1 so 
closely resembles the Florida species that 
the differences between the two are not 
easily recognized. The accompanying- il- 
lustration is from a photograph taken on 
the Galapagos Islands, directly under 
the equator; and from that locality this 
species ranges northward along the Pa- 
cific coast to British Columbia. 
The Great White Pelican 2 is a grand 
bird, — big, clean, immaculate, and with 
the dignity of a newly appointed judge. 
About him there are two bad things. In 
captivity his appetite for fresh fish makes 
him a costly luxury, and his Latin name 
always frightens timid people. 
The curious horn seen in winter and 
spring atop of the bill of this bird is 
purely a sexual ornament, found only on 
the male in the breeding-season, after 
Park. which it drops off. It begins to grow 
about February 15, is perfect by May 
1, and drops off not later than July 1. 
To-day, as a matter of course, the Great 
White Pelican is a rare bird. On the west 
coast of Florida, where once it was abundant, 
I believe it is no longer found. It is yet found 
inland in certain western localities, where 
there are lakes large enough to shelter it, and 
supply it with fish, and it is to be hoped that 
it will be many years ere this grand bird is 
exterminated. Fortunately, a colony has be- 
come established on an island in Yellowstone 
Lake, in the Yellowstone Park, where it breeds 
regularly every summer, to the great delight 
1 Pel-e-ca'nus calif orrvicus . 
2 Pel-e-ca'nus er-yth-ro-rhyn’ chos. Length, 61 
inches; spread of wings, 8 feet 10 inches; weight, 
161 pounds. 
