“Nowadays,” says W. H. Simpson, “a solitary individual may be seen fishing here and there throughout this vicinity; the remnant have betaken themselves to the neighboring islands. Here, towards the end of February last, the community constituted a group of seven nests—a sad falling off from the year before, when thirty-four nests were grouped upon a neighboring islet. “As we approached the spot in a boat the Pelicans left their nests, and taking to the water, sailed away like a fleet of stately ships, leaving their nursery in possession of the invader. The boat grounded in two or three feet of mud, and when the party had floundered through this, the seven nests were found to be empty. A fisherman had plundered them that morning, taking from each nest one egg, which we afterwards recovered. The nests were constructed in a great measure of old reed palings (used by the natives for enclosing Fish) mixed with such pieces of the vegetation of the islet as were suitable for the purpose. The seven nests were arranged in the shape of an irregular cross, the navel of the cross, which was the tallest nest, being about thirty inches high, the two next in line being about two feet, and the two forming the arms being a few inches lower, the two extremes at either end being about fourteen inches from the ground. The eggs are chalky, like others of the Pelican family, very rough in texture.” THE WHITE PELICAN. The White Pelican is as large as a Swan. Its bill is about fifteen inches in length. Its plumage is white, with a slightly rosy tint, the crest and a few feathers on the neck yellowish. It is very common on the lakes and rivers of Hungary and southern Russia, as well as on the banks of the Danube. A wild rocky shore, where it can look down on the sea, is the favorite haunt of this Pelican; but it is not uncommon for it to perch on trees. The nest is formed of coarse reedy grass, with a lining of finer quality; it is generally made on the ground, and is about eighteen inches in diameter, in which it lays four, sometimes five, white eggs, but more frequently two, slightly oblong, and alike at both ends. Fish forms its principal food, which it captures chiefly in shallow inlets, as it is an indifferent diver. Occasionally its flight is lofty, but generally close to the surface of the water. THE BROWN PELICAN. The Brown Pelican is an American species, smaller than the preceding. It has the head and the neck variegated with white and ash-color; all the rest of the plumage of a brownish grey, with white marks on the back; the pouch is of an ashy blue, striped with a red hue. It is found on the coasts of Peru, Florida and South Carolina.