American

The 3.4 million residents of Los Angeles draw 40% of their fresh water from Crowley Lake, 300 miles north of the city, and its connected waterways. Since early September, 300 white pelicans have been found dead in or near the lake. That combination of facts has alarmed Angelenos, especially since no one is sure what killed the birds.

So far, examination of the carcasses has turned up no unusual concentrations of toxic substances in the pelicans. One wild theory is that fishermen may have poisoned the birds so that fewer of the lake's trout will be eaten by them. Wildlife biologists scoff at such speculation, and city water officials insist that there is nothing in the water to harm humans. But until the Great White Pelican Mystery is solved, worry and rumor, unlike the birds, seem certain to thrive.