through the protection accorded them in spite of repeated statements of 
fisheaaen to the contrary. X mas of the opinion that mortality mas lower 
among birds reared in tree nests than among those hatched on the ground in 
JjjMv. If ' 
the open* This mas due to the more protected nesting site when chosen 
among the dense mangroves and to the fact that young in tree nests did not 
begin to wander about until they were well grown. 
m the mangrove colony young of various ages eat in their nests or 
on the limbs nearby, as I approached those among the open branches fre- 
d 
quently returned precipitately to their own nests or oro'^d in with other 
birds* Here they seemed to consider themselves safer* Often these young 
sought haven in nests containing sets of egga where they manifestly did not 
belong. Half grown pelicans clam bo red in and out of nests placed three or 
four feet from the ground with little apparent trouble. In the trees the 
blnls w Jkfced about on the tough, flexible brunches of the mangroves with 
long reaches of their great feet epr ading their wings wide and balancing 
by pressing them on the brunches on either side* At the same time the 
bill was hooked over limbs ahead and so aided in pulling along. The head 
was used especially in climbing up as the birds reached up and swung the 
bill over limbs above and then olambered up to this new hold. Young birds 
on the ground gathered in little gro .pe that scrambled along ahead of me 
waddling, falling and olanbering over obstructions. When half grown the 
birds swum with aaee and took to the water readily* 
On days when the wind was high adult pelicans frequently had some 
difficulty in rising on the wing. When on the ground on such ocoaslons 
they ran rapidly away to one side when openings permitted. T/ben cornered 
In brush through whleh they were unable to penetrate easily they stood 
their ground until the last minute hissing and olapping their bills loudly* 
