A GREAT PELICAN ROOKERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2288, 6 January 1898, Page 52

A GREAT PELICAN ROOKERY.

It has always been somewhat of a mystery where the numerous brown pelicans, so common on the southern Califorcian coast, make their headquarters. During the summer months these lumbering birds, which bear so grotesque a rcsemblaEca to some of the old pictures of the dodo, come into the little bays along shore, and eDgage in a vigorous warware upon the small fry — anchovies, herring, smelt, and young mackerel — which are found there in such vast quantities. The pelicans are very tame and pursue their avocation within a few yards of vessels lyiflg in the bays. Their method of obtaining food is arduous in ihe extreme, and it is only by contiuual vigilance that they make a living. In bunting for food they fly, heavily, 20ft or 30ft above the water, the long and singular bill, from which depends a capacious pouch, pointing downwards, the small brown eyes on the watch for the expectant school of fish. Should it appear, tbe bird apparently throws itself over, then plunges downward, head first, with mandibles apart. The height of the dive carries the bird in many instances completely cut of sight beneath the water, from which it rises in a few seconds, and if it has been so fortunate as to engulf a sardine, or several, in its capacious moulb,. it tosses them up, seemingly from the poucb, by throwing the bill aloft, then swallows the morsels with self-congratulatory wagging of the diminutive tail, &ugges&ve of its satisfaction. The capture of game is not always a guarantee of a fea3t. The laughing gall, common in these waters, preys upon the pelican or robs it systematically whenever ifc cap. This it accomplishes by alightirg on the pelican's head or back as it li^es, and as the clumsy bird attempts to arrange the morsel in it 3 mouth preparatory to swallowing the gull reaches forward and snatches it from between the long mandibles and flies away with exultant erie?.

It has been supposed by many that the brown pelicans make their headquarters in Lower California, coming north in the sprir.g ; but dtfrirg the past season the writer, dming a cruise among the islands off Santa Barbara County, fcuud the rcokery of these birds. The islands which constitute the group are divided into two series — the Santa Catalina, off Los Augeles County, lying, according lo the chart, in what is called the Smta Citalina Channel. These islands include San Clemente, Santa Catalina, San Nicolas, and Santa Baibara. Seventyfive miles to the north lisa the second division, comprisir g Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Anacapa. The latter is a long, slender, rocky inland, rking from tbe water's edge to a mesa between 100 ft and 200 ft in height at the east end. The highest portion recalled the famous enchanted mesa, as it was evidently inaccessible except by usirg ropes and a kite. The island is divided into three distinct portions by the sea. The extreme end is flat, terminating in a pinnacle of rock, while through the centre is a lofty arch, high and broad enough to adreib 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 yacht's cannon there arose a cloud so vast that it fairly coloured 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 Oalifornian coast. The great ledge of rock, flat on top, was coloured while by the guano of the birds, and was distinguishable five or six miles distant. A3 we approached the side tit the cliff, which formed a slight angle, ■was seen to be covered with pelicans. They Fcrambled up tbe rocks from the lower portions, waddling with bills partly cpen and wings expanded. A.% the sound of the gun reached them the very ground seemed to rise, the birds whiiling slowly upward in great circles, then slowly settling 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 aur visit, the middle of August, the rookery appeared to be occupied by old birds and two-thirds grown young. Tho pelicms 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 Fiorida Keys, at least ia instances observed by the writer, where the nests were in mangrove trees which were growing almost ia the water. The nests were of the crudest description, the eggs retaining their position by virtue of good luck.

Not 10 mile 3 from the pelican rookery o£ Aoacapa was seen a series of remarkable caves, in the entrance of one of which was a shag rookery. This was discovered by tho aid of the odour some distance oif . Upon approaching, a remaikable overhanging cliff was seen, the summit of which was possibly 500 ft above the water — a stupendous pile of reck. Near the base it had been eaten away by the sea, leaving a series of rough shelves or le<3ge?, which were occupied by shags, old and young. Leading directly into the cliff was a large cave, whose side entrance was also pre-emplied by shags who wore in the main two-thirds grown. After some difficulty the writer landed and climbed into this rookery. The nests were of kelp and other sea-weed roughly thrown together, and strewn about on the rocka were numbers of young birds, some nearly devoured and

others partly torn in pieces, showing that some animal preyed upon them. After a careful examination of the surroundings the writer was forced to think that, half starved, the birds had preyed upon each other, and that it was a case of a literal survival of tha fittest. On the water in the cave floated numbsra of dead young shsgs, which had evidently fallen in and, unable to swim, had been drowned. Yet the young handled were strong and powerful, and used their sharp beaks to good advantage. In the same cave an attractive swallow with white markings wa3 nesting, its nesfi being fastened to the walls. The nests arc made almost entirely of the feathers of sea birds, covered on the outside with a light clay venser, which made them very heavy and also almost indistinguishable from the reck, this probably being ths objact of the birds— an interesting instance of protective resemblance. The pelicans undoubtedly use the Anacapa rookery as a nesting place, spreading from here up and down the ooaet to visit the various feeding grounds.

The great arch et Anacapa is of itself a notable object and well worthy a visit, being of larg3 size and presenting a graud and picture que appearance from either side. It well illustrates the method of disintegration which is going on in these island 0 , which are all honeycombed in a most remarkable manner, presenting a series of marine caves which for size and interest have no counterpart in this country. The east point of Acacapa, or the pelican rookery, originally had four arches where there ia now one. These gradually were worn away until the top fell in, divorcing the section from the island, but preserving the mesa, line or aagle exact. — C. F. Holdbb, in the Scientific American.