A search for pre-main-sequence stars in a region of about 12.7 deg 2 near the L 1551 complex in the Taurus molecular cloud have been made. Only two new pre-main-sequence stars have been identified from optical spectra of 383 proper motion candidates on the basis of Li I 6707 A absorption. These stars have ages of ∼4 × 10 6 yr; no evidence are found for a large number of pre-main-sequence stars with ages comparable to the crossing time of the cloud (∼ 10 7 yr)