The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-06-30


and await digestion.
Terrified or pleased, matured pelican
utters no sound. When cornered, it be-
comes aggressive and fights ferociously,
but in silence. Its long bill is as danger.
Gus as tailor's shears One nip and
strip of flesh disappears. The bird readily
resents an indignity. Not long ago Capt.
X. s. Sheldon saw solitary gray pelican
on sand spit near Mosquito inlet. At
his approach the bird manifested no fear.
One foot was raised, and both eyes were
closed 1t was sound asleep. The Cap
tain smiled, hesitated, aud then kicked it
in the most scientific manner. 1t landed
on the sand, turned round as though col
lecting its thoughts, saw Sheldons legs,
and went for its pound of flesh SO success
fully that the Captain has kicked no more
sleeping pelicans,
Curiosity seems to be trait in these
singular birds. While shooting snowy
herons under cover of rubber trees on an
island in Lake Worth, saw cock peli-
can perched ON low bush twenty feet
away apparently regarding Inc with aston
ishment. The report of the gun did not
seem to frighten him. After few shots
was surprised to see him approach me.
He came nearer at every discharge, until
| made rush ard caught him by the bill.
After jibng him | let him go. He backed
off few steps, cycling me intenuy, spread
his wings, gravely wabbled over the low
foliage, and | saw him no more. At that
time only one person lived near the lake,
and was probably the first human being
ever seen by the old cock pelican.
The plumage of the cocks is much
brighter than that of the hens and the bird
himself is more trim and neat. He has a
crown of creamy feathers, and a soft brown
fur covers the nape Of his neck. He is
silver gray in color, and his wings aud
back are very beautiful.
Shot on the wing, pelicans dump the
fish from their throats while falling to the
ground. Their main food is mullet and
hickory shad. When their pouches are
filled, the fish pass into their stomachs as
corn does through a hopper, the lowest
being the first digested. An exclusively
fish diet gives the pelican an ancient and
tishlike smell. The body is loaded with
fat, and a gun oil, unsurpassed in salt
water countries, drips from it when hung
in the sun.
A visit to pelican colony or roost is
well worth journey to Florida. These
colonies settle on mangrove islands, within
reach Of the ocean beach. Here they
build their nests and rear their young
The trees soon die, but the skeletons re.
main, and are piled with nests. Thick,
rank grass grows on the richly manured
soil. Were it not for the high tides that
have washed these islands for centuries,
Florida might boast.of guauo deposits as
extensive as those of Peru.
Two years ago last April, Mr.. Charles
Bostrom and myself visited n pelican
colony GU a mangrove island, near the
mouth Of the st. Sebastian. The forests
Of dead mangroves were whitewashed with
guano. This gave the island an aspect of
civilization. From the main land itlooked
as though New England village had been
set down on the broad bosom Of the Indian
river. A cloud of policans oyershadowed
1t, aud steady streams poured north and
south in search of food Within five
hundred yards VIC saw hundreds of great
birds perched on the dead limbs feeding
their young. In the bright sunlight their
backs shone like silver mantles. As we
neared them, most of them few into the
water aud anchored within gunshot. A
few held their ground until we stepped
ashore
Finding the water very shallow, we Lam
ded on a dead tree blown into the river.
This tree was filled with nests. As we
took hold Of its branches a score of fiedg.
llngs opened their long bills and squalled
like terrified babies. Good.sized FISH pro-
truded from some of their throats, but their
victuals did not stop their mouths. As
we picked our way along the slippery
trunk, the puny youngsters viciously struck
at us, aud endeavored to hutter out of
reach. The island was paved aud rooted
with nests. The dead mangroyes were
loaded, and the grass and sand carpeted
with eggs and fedglings, 1t was difficult
to walk without crushing them. Pelicans
were there Of all sizes and conditions, from
the leathery little fellow half out of the
egg, to those ready to quit the nest. Such
clatter | erbefore heard. The Young
birds certainly make up for their silence in
old age by their noise in the cradle. Those
most maturcd left their nests and marched
through the grass, battalion dressed in
white, utterng piercing cries. As we
advanced, company after company Joined |
the battalion, and on reaching the other
side Of the island, over five thousand Young |
birds were in its ranks, filling the heavens |
with screams of terror. Those unable to
move redoubled their cries, and the noise
became deaiening, 1t was only by shout
ing that We made ourselves heard. The
feet of old birds remained anchored off |
the island, silent and motionless. Every
eye was fastened on us. They knew they
were powerless, and sat on the water like
stoics, calmly awaiting the DEGREES Of fate.
Nearly all the young ones were gorged
with fresh fish. In some cases the fish
were actually foundering in their throats.
| saw one hydrocephalous mite, feather.
less and feeble, lying on its side, its bill
S'SSSN va Hah bmhSc Ito weight From
appearances the fish was swallowing the
pelican. Polling it out by the tail, |
found the head partly digested, and the
rest of its body would undoubtedly have
gone through the same hopper-like process.
Some of the aodglings had become google.
eyed in the efforts to swallow large fish.
Generally there were two birds to nest.
Some nests, however, contained three or
four, and saw one holding FIVE. The
young seem to feather very slowly. At a
short distance they look like naked infants,
Hearing no guns and perceiving that we
did not injure their young, the ten thou.
sand old birds began to return. They had
been visited by heartless wretches who, for
mere sport, had shot heads Of families and
knocked over their children The dried
skeletons under their dead trees told the
story. Assured of our pacific intentions,
many reoccupied their nests. And mana