142 The Kath considered as the Pelican. 



Hence has arisen among naturalists the supposition of two 

 species, or rather varieties, of white pelican, the one living in 

 deserts, and the other on the banks of rivers, or the margin of 

 lakes ; but now it seems to be the general opinion that there is 

 no ground whatever for such a supposition. 



The pelican is large among the feathered race, greatly 

 exceeding the ordinary goose in size, or, as Edwards, in his 

 History ^ Birds, asserts " it is double the bigness of the largest 

 swan." Its bill is long, and hooked at the end ; its colour 

 white, inclining to yellow on the neck, with black feathers 

 along the middle of the back ; its voice harsh and disagreeable ; 

 and its toes connected with a web. 



From the same respectable authority we learn that the peli- 

 can inhabits the greatest part of the old world ; that it is found 

 in climates far north and south, as well as in all the interme- 

 diate latitudes ; that it is not uncommon in Russia, abounds 

 in Egypt, and even reaches the Cape of Good Hope. It has 

 been seen, though very rarely, in Great Britain. That it was 

 to be met with in the land of Canaan, the authority of holy 

 writ declares, and modern travellers still bear witness that it 

 is very frequent in Western Asia. 



We have not heard what kind of flesh this bird possesses, 

 nor whether any use has been made of its feathers. In the 

 absence of correct information, the flesh and feathers of the 

 heron and crane, or rather of the gull or gannet, will afford 

 a good criterion for judging of the fleshy and feathers of the 

 pelican. 



Being a large bird, and requiring much range of water to 

 supply its food, it is probably rather scarce, and by many peo- 

 ple must be viewed rather as a curiosity than put to any use. 

 Of course it will be oftener found in a menagery than seen 

 flying over our heads, or rising from the fens or lakes. 



A print of it may be seen in Scheuchzer's Physica Sacra, 

 plate ccxlvi., and we have ourselves seen the original in a col- 

 lection of live animals, carried through the country for show. 



It belongs to the order Palmipedes, or birds that are web- 

 footed, frequent the waters of the ocean, as well as rivers and 

 lakes, live on fish, and are good at swimming. 



The nest of the common pelican is deep, and a foot and a 

 half in diameter. It consists of sedges, but is lined on the 

 inside with soft grass. The bird builds it in the marshy and 

 uncultivated places of islands rather than of continents, and 

 lays two or more white eggs. 



