May, 1913 
NOTES FROM BUENA VISTA LAKE AND FORT TEJON 
117 
but those of the Pelicans ranged from carefully made nests of sticks and trash, 
and large mounds of gravel with a depression in the top, to mere hollows in the 
earth. Those of conical form are evidently formed by the old bird first scj[uatting 
on the chosen spot, and drawing gravel up to her by means of her bill until she 
has collected a pile of it under and around her large enough to suit her fancy. In 
some cases eggs had not yet been deposited, and many nests held three eggs, — the 
greatest number found in any nest; but by far the larger proportion held two 
eggs. The loss in eggs must have been very great as there were a hundred or 
so scattered promiscuously around the ground. They were in all stages of in- 
cubation. We saw no young at this date, though in examining eggs we could 
freciuently hear the young birds peep. 
A charge of number eight shot easily stopped a bird, when with set wings 
he came down as if for a dive, but the shock of hitting the ground killed him 
instantly. Another was only winged and it was curious to see how light a tap 
on the head was enough to give him his coup de grace. Most of the queer horny 
protuberances on the bill which these birds wear during the nuptial season had 
been shed, though many still had an inch or so of it loosely attached. As every- 
one knows who has skinned a Pelican, there is a mass of air cells between the 
surface skin and the body nearly three quarters of an inch thick which can be 
inflated at will, and which no doubt accounts for the easy flight and wonderful 
soaring of this ungainly bird. Their method of securing fish is interesting and 
almost shows brain work. Just after dark and frequently during the night, loud 
splashings could be heard. This we found to be caused by the Pelicans forming 
in line out in the shallows and then starting shorewards with much flapping of 
wings on the water in order to drive the fish where the water was shoal enough 
for them to be easily caught by the birds. In fact this is the only method of fishing 
that they could employ, for the water is neither clear nor deep enough for them 
to follow such diving tactics as are adopted by P. califoriticiis on our coasts. 
On one end of the island not occupied by the above two species, several pairs 
of Avocets (Recurvirosfra amcricana') had set U]) housekeeping, and they evinced 
much anxiety as we approached their nests. We did not see any young, but 
although vft did find a few incomplete sets, most of the eggs seemed to be heavily 
incubated. Another find was a set of three peculiarly marked eggs of the Kil- 
deer (O.vyeclius vociferits) ; and although no nest was encountered, several 
Snowy Plovers (Aegiahtis iiwosa) in full breeding plumage were trotting about 
with a knowing air. A mile away on another mud bank were several more nests 
of Avocet, and here was congregated a flock of some thirtv immature Bona- 
parte G’ulls (Lams Philadelphia) . Near here we noted a few California Gulls 
(Lams calif oriiiciis) — some adult, but most in the juvenile plumage. 
Near the eastern end of the lake was a little mud islet, scarcely a dozen feet 
wide and v/ell sheltered by tides, on which we estimated that there were fifteen 
nests of Avocets and forty of Black-necked Stilts (Himautopus incxicanus) . 
These birds seemed to consider themselves one large family, as many nests con- 
tained five, six, seven or eight egg.s — the product of more than one female of 
course, and we even found eggs of both Stilts and Avocets in the same nest. The 
lake had evidently risen a little, as several nests were awash. The majority of 
eggs seemed to lie far advanced in incubation and no doubt a large number es- 
caped the rise of water. Our visit aroused great consternation and the Avocets 
swooped down upon us in true tern fashion, uttering their cry which sounds very 
similar to that of the Western Gull when disturbed. 
Black-crowned Night Herons (Nycticorax n. naevhis) swarmed in the 
