the nest, unless disturbed, will never leave it until its mate arrives to
take its place. The one about to spell off, approaches the nest slowly
with its bill pointing straight out and waving its head from side to
side. The setting bird sticks its bill into the nest, twitches its half-
spread wings and utters a low, husky sound - a sort of gasping cluck.
This is the only time that an adult wild pelican is known to make a
noise with its throat.

Waving its head, the advancing bird pauses with an attitude of
unconcern. Soon the bird on the nest steps off and the other
immediately takes its place. The relieved bird flies directly to the water
where it bathes with loud flapping of wings and dashing of spray. It
then returns to the land, dresses its feathers, and leisurely starts for the
nearest fishing place. Sometimes, instead of sailing away for food, it
rises high in the air to sail and glide in wide circles apparently for the
pure enjoyment of the exercise, but possibly also to sight food.

The young are ugly and gawky when hatched. They look like
shapeless masses of half-dried meat with swollen projections for heads,
which they are unable to hold up. In a few days their eyes open and in
about a week they are able to sit up and assume somewhat the
appearance of young birds.

In about two weeks little tufts of white down appear which soon
cover the whole body. When the bird is about half grown, wing quills
begin to sprout and these are soon