what bird was alcatrez prison named after?

-- evleyn jordan (pyro@prexar.net), April 22, 2001

Answers

"The 22.5-acre Isla de Alcatraces (Spanish for Pelican Island) was named in August 1775 by Lt. Juan Manuel de Ayala, Spanish commander of the survey vessel San Carlos, the first ship to enter San Francisco Bay." San Francisco Almanac (1995 ed.), p.239.

-- Bill Trinkle (WJTrinkle@aol.com), April 22, 2001.

That may be the correct answer, that pelican bit. On the other hand, there was that business about goat island and Alcatraz being switched on an English map...or something like that. Then there is the oft-mentioned problem of Spain not having pelicans, or that Alcatraces actually refers to Cormorants, or that Alcatraces really is Old Spanish for "Island of the Strange Looking Birds".

I dunno.

Would be nice if Park Technician Martini could set us straight.

-- Frank Hatfield (saltwaterjohnston@yahoo.com), April 23, 2001.