May, 1916 
A VISIT TO HAT AND EGG ISLANDS 
121 
other or toward strangers. Each brood remained together in the nest appar- 
ently until able to fly. They are rather pugnacious in their disposition when 
approached. They emit a sound that closely resembles the dry “chuck” of 
the blackbird, while the parent sounds a drawn-out ah-h-h-h-h-h, when the 
nest is approached. If the stranger goes too close to the nest, the chicks either 
attempt to retreat, or stand their ground and strike at the intruder, and a 
sharp click is heard as their mandibles snap together. The young do not 
belie their reptilian ancestry either in their uncanny long necks and staring 
eyes, nor in this method of defense by striking. It was a rather impressive 
aspect that the half-grown herons presented as they stood in stoic, stork-like 
aspect on their nests, patiently awaiting their usual allowances. 
No accurate observations were made of the feeding of the young herons. 
One instance is perhaps worthy of mention. An adult heron was seen to alight 
on a rock some rods from a nest of younglings. As the persistent visitor did 
not leave the vicinity, the bird stood for some time and finally regurgitated 
what was probably meant to be the afternoon meal of her brood. Upon exam- 
Fig. 39. Pelican eggs destroyed by Gulls. 
ination of the mass of material disgorged a partially digested fish eight inches 
long was found, as well as the scales of another fish and other material that 
could not be identified. 
General Habits of the Gulls, Herons and Pelicans. — The easy, grace- 
ful, flowing type of flight, as well as the soaring of the gulls, was illustrated 
in countless examples. This slow waving of the wings in flight seems to 
correlate exceedingly well with this bird’s method in starting flight. It is a 
fact often observed that the gull seldom if ever perches, but rather alights 
upon the ground where it procures, in this section of the country, the greater 
part of its food. When the bird starts flight it opens and beats its wings 
through small arcs, and runs along the ground to gain momentum for a launch 
into the air. In other words, the gull normally beats its wings so slowly that it 
can, only with great difficulty, rise into the air by its wings alone, hence it 
brings into play its auxiliary organs of locomotion. In alighting it is a matter 
of some interest to note the position of the wings, which are placed in vertical 
