iqo4) Ornithology. 71 



gray above, and black underneath. Breeds in Canada, nest in a 

 low bush; eggs four, blush white." 



In length, this species is between five and six inches. The 

 plumage varies somewhat according to age, and season; but is 

 generally on the upper parts of the body of a bright olive hue, with 

 ashy on the head, below clear yellow, the throat and breast being 

 black, the plumage of both sex is similar. 



Listowel, Ontario, Canada. 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



A WHITE PELICAN AT MANOTICK. 

 J. F. WuiThAVES. 



The Museum of the Geological Survey has recently acquired 

 a fine specimen of the American white pelican, Pelecamis erythro- 

 rJnmchus, which was shot two miles south of Manotick, Ont., by 

 Mr. John Flann, Jr., on the 25th of May last. When shot, it was 

 on a log in the Rideau River. It is a fine adult female in full 

 spring plumage, with the culmen or ridge of the upper mandible 

 ot its bill flattened, and entirely devoid of the high, thin, upright 

 comb or crest that is so characteristic of the middle of that part of 

 the bill of the male of this species during the breeding season. 

 The bill was partly pale horn and partly pale flesh coloured, with 

 an orange tip to the upper mandible and a yellow patch round 

 each eye; the pouch was bright yellow, the iris of each eye hazel or 

 dark brown (not white), and the legs'and feet bright orange. On 

 dissection, the flesh was found to be inflated everywhere by 

 numerous large air cells, most of the eggs were no larger than a 

 small shot, though a few were as large as peas, and the stomach 

 contained six freshly caught yellow perch about three or iow 

 inches in length. 



The American white pelican, which was first described by 

 Gmelin in 1788, is an abundant summer resident in the prairie 

 country of Manitoba and the North West Territories, where if 

 breeds in colonies, but it is rare in British Columbia. In winter 

 it is common in Florida, and its course of migration northward is 

 said to be along the great inland rivers, for in summer it is es- 



