The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-12-25
GREAT PELICAN RooKERY.

It has always been somewhat of a mystery where the numerous brown pelicans, so common on the southern California coast, make their hemdquar- ters During the summer months these numbering birds, which bear 80 gro tesque a resemblance to some of the old pictures of the dodo, come into the little bays alongshore and engage in a vigorous warfare upon the small fry anchovies, herring, smelt and young mackerel--which are found there in such vast quantities
 The pelicans are very tame and pur- sue their avocatlon within few yards of vessels lying in the bays Their method of obtaining food is arduous in the extreme, and 1t is only by continual vigilance that they make a living. In hunting for food they fly heavily, 20 or 30 feet above the water, the long and singular bill, from which depends a ca pacious pouch, pointing downward, the small brown eyes on the watch for the expectant school of fish. Should it ap- pear, the bird apparently throws itself over, then plunges downward, head first, with mandibles apart. The height of the dive carries the bird in many in- stances completely out of sight beneath the water, from which it rises in few seconds, and if 1t has been so fortunate as to engulf sardne, or several, in its capacious mouth, it losses them up, seemingly from the pouch, by throwing the bill aloft, then swallows the morsels with sef-congratulatory wagging of the diminutive tail, suggestive of its satisfaction.
 The capture of game is not always a guarantee of a feast. The laughing gull, common in these waters, preys upon the pelican or robs it systemati- cally whenever it can. This it accom- plishes by alighting on the pelican's head or back as it rises, and as the clumsy bird attempts to arrange the morsel in it's mouth preparatory to swallowing, the gull reaches forward and snatches it from between the long mandibles and flies away with eXultant cries.
 It has been supposed by many that the brown pelicans make their head quarters in lower California, coming north in the spring, but during the past season the writer, during a cruise among the islands off Santa Barbara county, found the rookery of these birds The islands which constitute the group are divided into two series-the Santa Catalina, off Los Angeles coun- ty. lying, according to the chart, in what is called the Santa Catalina chan mel These islands include San Gle mente, Santa Catalina, San Nicolas and Santa Barbara. Seventy-fve miles to the north lies the second division, com prising Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Anacapa. The latter is a long, slender, rocky island, rising from the waters edge to mesa between 100 and 200 feet in height at the east end. The highest portion recalled the fa- nous enchanted mesa, as it was evil dently inaccessible except by using ropes and a kite.
 The island is divided into three dis tinct portions by the sea. The extreme end is flat, terminating in pinnacle of rock, while through the center is a lofty arch, high and broad enough to admit the passage of a large yacht, through which the sea runs. The mesa was covered with birds, and as we ran near and fired the yatcht's cannon there arose a cloud so vast that 1t fairly col ored the air. Every bird had a long bill, and it suddenly dawned upon us that here was the home of the brown pelican on the southern California coast The great ledge of rock, flat on top was colored white by the guano of the birds, and was distinguishable five or six miles distant. As we approach ed, the side of the cliff, which formed a slight angle, was seen to be covered with pelicans. They scrambled up the rocks from the lower portions, waddlng with bills partly open and wings ex- banded. As the sound of the gun reached them the very ground seemed to rise, the birds Whirling slowly up- ward in great circles, then slowly set ting again.
 The rookery, isolated and inaccessible, occupied probably four or five acres, where the birds seemed to be packed in; and that it was an ancient one there was every reason to believe. Here in all probability the young are reared In May At the time of our visit, the middle of August, the rookery appeared to be occupied by old birds and two yotllS'
 The pelicans here nest on the ground, there being no trees of any Kind on this wind-swept island. This is in direct contrast to the brown pelican of the Florida keys, at least in instances ob- served by the writer, where the nests were in mangrove trees which were growing amost in the water. The nests were of the crudest description, the eggs retaining their position by virtue of good uck.
 Not ten miles from the pelican rock cry of Anacapa was seen a series of re- markable caves, in the entrance of one of which was a shag rookery. This was discovered by the aid of the odor some distance off. Upon approaching re- markable overhanging cliff was seen the summit of which was possibly five hundred feet above the water-a stu pendous pile of rock. Near the base it had been eaten away by the sea, leav- ing a series of rough shelves or edges which were occupied by shags, old and young.
 Leading directly into the cliff was 8 large cave, whose side entrance was also pre-empted by shags, who were, ir the main, two-thirds grown.
 After some difficulty the writer land ed and climbed into this rookery. The