﻿86 PELICANS. June, 



very voracious, destroys still larger quantities of 

 fish than the eagle. It is the Pelicanus trachy- 

 rhynchus of systematic ornithologists, and ranges 

 as far north as Great Slave Lake, in latitude 60° — 

 61° N. These birds generally choose a rapid for 

 the scene of their exploits, and, commencing at 

 the upper end, suffer themselves to float down with 

 the current, fishing as they go with great success, 

 particularly in the eddies. When satiated, and 

 with full pouches, they stand on a rock or boulder 

 which rises out of the water, and air themselves, 

 keeping their half-bent wings raised from their 

 sides, after the manner of vultures and other gross 

 feeders. Their pouches are frequently so crammed 

 with fish that they cannot rise into the air until 

 they have relieved themselves from the load, and 

 on the unexpected approach of a canoe, they stoop 

 down, and, drawing the bill between their legs, 

 turn out the fish. They seem to be unable to ac- 

 complish this feat when swimming, so that then 

 they are easily overtaken, and may be caught alive, 

 or killed with the blow of a paddle. If they are near 

 the beach when danger threatens, they will land to 

 get rid of the fish more quickly. They fly heavily, 

 and generally low, in small flocks of from eight to 

 twenty individuals, marshalled, not in the cunei- 

 form order of wild geese, but in a line abreast, 

 or slightly en echellon ; and their snow-white plum- 



