““ Even when we sprang on shore the birds on the farther side remained on their nests in utter unconcern.’”” 
prepared in earnest for the grand flight. The 
boat was run ashore abreast of the colony, 
but without alarming them. Then we stood 
up and shouted, but only the nearer birds 
flew. There they sat upon their nests, hun- 
dreds and hundreds of them, many within 
about fifty feet, solemnly gazing at us. It 
was not until we sprang upon the shore that 
there was any general flight, and even then 
the birds upon the farther side of the group 
remained upon their nests in utter uncon- 
eern. We also noticed with delight, as we 
went back to the boat for more plates, that 
the flying birds, after a short circuit over the 
water, returned at once to their nests. The 
fear that it would be impossible to secure 
pictures at close range was groundless. 
Equipped withall needed photographic im- 
plements, we now started out for a tour of 
inspection. Hundreds of nests were before 
us, a few of them built on the spreading 
limbs or tops of the mangroves; but the great 
majority were on the sand, usually about a 
yard apart. Those on the bushes or trees 
were built of sticks, lined with grass, and 
were quite bulky, while those on the ground 
were small and rude, composed only of grass 
and soft materials. The contents of the nests 
were greatly varied. Though the nesting 
season of the pelicans begins in January, 
many of the nests still had their comple- 
ments of great, dirty-white eggs. These may 
have been second or third layings, owing to 
previous depredations, though to what extent 
individual pelicans may be irregular in their 
time for laying, I cannot say. In other nests 
there were young, In various stages, from the 
naked, newly hatched, and rather repulsive 
looking things, to the more sightly, yet not 
altogether handsome, downy stage. Still 
other nests were empty, but that their mis- 
sion had not been fruitless was evident from 
the numbers of well-grown young that were 
running about in all directions. Many of 
them were all but able to fly, though their 
bodies were more or less downy and ragged. 
In color they were very different from their 
parents, being of a lighter gray, and mainly 
white on the under parts. 
These young pelicans afforded us no little 
amusement. Though they evidently inherit- 
ed somewhat of the true pelican gravity, their 
childishness could not be concealed. For one 
thing they were, like most children, eminently 
social. They reminded me of gangs of boys 
upon the street corners, as they gathered 
here and there in groups, chattering away 
in peculiar guttural tones, that often rose to 
loud, harsh screams when individuals got into 
a fight, which was all too often. They could 
not have learned these disagreeable manners 
from their parents, who are peaceable and 
