THE NATURALIST IN' FLORIDA. 
Remarkable Birds of Florida. 
By C. J. Maynard. 
No. i. 
THE WHITE PELICAN. 
(Pelecanus ' erythornchus .) 
The White Pelican is perhaps the most 
interesting and remarkable bird to be found in 
Florida, not only on account of its singular 
form, but be- 
cause of its 
peculiar hab- 
its. When liv- 
ing it is a 
beautiful bird, 
beautiful and 
grace ful in 
spite of its odd 
form. The 
color of the 
plumage is The White Pelican. 
pure white, with an intergrading patch of pale 
straw on the lanceolate feathers of the lower 
neck and upper breast. Many of the elongated, 
lance-like feathers on the back, known as the 
scapularies, are bright salmon, and this same 
color extends to the upper tail coverts and tail 
feathers. Both of these last mentioned tints 
are exceedingly evanescent, usually disappear- 
ing shortly after the skin has been removed. 
The primaries (outer wing feathers) are jet 
black, while the bill, naked space around the 
eye, and feet, are orange. Ordinarily the iris 
of the eye is brown, but singularly enough, this 
becomes white as spring approaches, and dur- 
ing the entire breeding season remains this 
color. After breeding, the White Pelican un- 
dergoes a somewhat striking metamorphosis, 
for then the moult begins. This occurs late in 
July, and then the bird loses the beautiful long 
plumes on the neck and back.. Nor is this all 
A Cotton Scene In Florida. 
the change which occurs. The peculiar appen- 
dage seen in the middle of the upper mandible 
of the bill, known as the centre-board, falls off, 
leaving the bill quite smooth. The new plum- 
age which the bird assumes is then pure white, 
excepting the wing tips, and, queerly enough, 
a large patch on the back of the head, which is 
gray, (the long occipital plumes being replaced 
by short feathers.) Here, then, we have a 
marked change in coloration, from a beautiful 
bright plumed bird we have a transition into a 
comparatively dull bird, with a gray hood on 
its head! Why, the change is so great that 
one would suppose the two stages of plumage 
represented different species ! In fact, a prom- 
inent ornithologist upon receiving specimens 
of this Pelican from the West, when 
in this dull dress, actually described 
them as a different species, calling 
it Gray-headed Pelican. I should 
also have been of this opinion had 
I not chanced to have seen the 
change from one stage to the other, 
watching it from day to day until it 
was completed. Now this matter, 
although simple enough for me to 
accomplish under the existing cir- 
cumstances, is not always so easy, 
and I doubt if any one has ever 
witnessed it before or since. To 
understand how difficult a matter it 
would be to watch a White Pelican 
through a complete season’s change, 
I have only to say, that although the 
White Pelican occurs in some sec- 
tions of Florida quite commonly, it 
is only as a winter visitant, they 
return to breed in the remote re- 
gions of the north-west and north, 
Pyramid Lake, Utah, being the 
most southern locality known where 
the White Pelicans deposit their 
eggs. How then did I, who have never seen 
a White Pelican rookery in my life, come to 
be the first to record this change of plumage, 
and correct the error into which my friend had 
inadvertently fallen, when he gave a name to 
the Gray- headed Pelican? Ah ! thereby hangs 
a tale, which, as it may prove interesting, I 
will proceed to relate. 
Some years ago, I wished to procure speci- 
mens of the White Pelican to describe for my 
work on the Birds of Eastern North America, 
and in order to do so I camped near the mouth 
of the Suwanee River, on the Gulf of Mexico. 
During the winter this species of Pelican is 
quite common here, feeding in the shallow 
waters of the flats, back of Cedar Keys. It so 
happened, however, that when 
we first went to this place the 
birds had not made their appear- 
ance from the north, but I kept 
a constant watch for them, as- 
cending to the roof of the .little 
house in which we were living, 
where I could obtain an extended 
view of the reefs that lie out in 
the waters of the Gulf. One 
morning, after some two weeks 
persistent searching, I was de- 
lighted to perceive a flock, con- 
sisting of about a thousand 
specimens, all seated on a little 
key some three miles away. 
Hastily descending from my 
post of observation, I called two 
of my men, bidding them place 
guns, ammunition, etc., in the 
boat, and in a few moments we 
were off, running down towards 
the birds before a fine breeze , 
which fortunately blew directly 
in our favor. We rapidly ap- 
proached them — I could make 
out that they were adult birds in 
fine plumage, so I was extremely 
anxious to procure a shot at them, and it did 
seem as if the Fates were propitious for once, 
for we were placed under the most favorable 
circumstances to obtain a shot, as the sail com- . 
pletely screened us from their view. But alas 
for human expectation ! As upon many other 
occasions, we were apparently doomed to dis- 1 
appointment, for just as we came within two 
hundred yards of this immense flock of snowy 
birds, just too far for gun-shot, the wind ceased 
to blow, and by a strange chance which occurs 
only at long intervals, after a moment’s calm 
sprung up anew, but blew in exactly 
the opposite direction, dead ahead 
for us. This change caused the sail 
to flap violently against the masty 
the Pelicans were startled and began 
to raise their huge pinions, while 
some of the birds rose in air, sailing 
smoothly off seaward. Seeing that 
all chance for the shot-guns was 
gone, I seized my rifle, which was 
„ lying by my side, took a quick aim 
” at a huge Pelican on the shore, and 
5 fired. The whole of these black- 
6 pinioned birds rose in confusion at 
IlSlt the report, and flew directly away, 
® 3 B|& 5 {but much to my surprise and great 
' satisfaction they left four of their 
number behind. The single ball 
from the rifle had not only killed the 
one for which I intended it, but had 
also killed another and wounded two 
more. Both of the injured birds 
made for the water, but through the 
^vigorous efforts of my men at the 
oars, we succeeded in capturing one 
as it was swimming rapidly away ; 
the second one escaped, however, as 
it swam with great power and thus 
got far out to sea, where the waves 
were too high for our little craft, j 
We returned to camp well pleased with our 
three huge birds, and the wounded bird which 
went out to sea was forgotten. 
A few days after this occurrence I was look- 
ing out in the little bay in front of the camp, 
when I saw a single Pelican swimming on the 
water, and it at once occurred to me that this 
was our wounded bird. Accordingly I sent 
three men out in the boat, with instructions to 
get between the bird and the open water. 
This they easily accomplished, and singularly 
enough, managed to drive the Pelican ashore 
right at my feet, as I stood on the beach. I 
examined him and found that only the tip of 
the wing was injured, so decided to keep him 
alive, and a long line was fastened to one ol 
Johnnie Pelican that I discovered all the 
changes of plumage which I have mentioned 
and which proved of so much value to science 
The following are the dimensions of the 
White Pelican: — Length, 65.50; stretch 
102.50; wing from flexor, 
24.38 ; tail, 6.50 ; bill, 
14.00 ; tarsus from foot 
to first bend of leg, 4.63. 
The Banana Blossom. 
his legs, to prevent him from wandering. 
This White Pelican, thus singularly captured, 
proved one of the most interesting pets I ever I 
had, for he became exceedingly tame, andl 
after a few days no restraint was necessary, as I 
he never attempted to leave us, remaining with I 
us during all our wanderings in Florida that! 
season, and afterwards lived with me four years I 
in the North. I wish I had space to chronicle I 
his peculiar habits and quaint ways, but room I 
will not permit. Suffice to say, it was from | 
