OCR Text |
Show I PCLICANS RCSTINO PLACE. ItenllMr In lli llluonrl, Whar Th.j li Tlc. v..r 1'ellcan tind In the Mlmourl rltcr. nenr Be Charlen, Mo , Is ths eceno of n great gathering of pelicans, nf ths St liuit ltppubllc Thero Is a big fist bar In tlio river which has en duroj far beyonJ Iho usual span of a bar's ealstenco In the. treacherous, shifting current of tha Missouri This bar Is tho semi annual stopping placa or ast Hocks of polloans that migrate from south tn north In spring and from north to south In the fall Persons Per-sons who havo obscrvnl their habits claim that they Invariably nrrlve at l'cllcnn bend Sept 1 nnd remain until com weather sends them south The pelican Is not an nttrnctlvo bird Hut Ilia Is (lolitmailiUtitr HaU, In liU hob-Its hob-Its The parent birds catch fish, and after eating their fill, depoult the oth-1 oth-1 ers In their pouches under their bills , and enrry them to their young. Tho 1 pouches will bold from three to eight pounds of fish They are elastic and when distended to their utmost nearly near-ly touch the ground When empty the pouch 11m close up under tho big bill I Tho pelicans leci are short and strong and Its feet tinve largo webs It Is not n fist swimmer nor a rapid flier, but It Is practically tireless In both air and water On hnd It Is awicward and unwieldy Its feathers are puro white, eacept for a dully tuft of brown plumage that Is seen on the top of the head for about nix weeks In the summer This tuft disappears In August Tho pelican skins nnd plumage are largely uicd In women s garments and hats |