PELICANS. 469 



a rufous-brown. The throat, upper part of the neck, vent and abdo- 

 men white. Lower part of the neck, breast, flanks, and rump pale 

 ash. Upper parts and tail very dark ash. Wings varied with white, 

 cinereous, and black. Length about 16 inches. 



The young of the first year resembles the female. The vialcs at 

 the completion of one year are distinguished by the small blackish 

 feathers which form a large patch at the sides of the bill ; by some 

 whitish and white feathers sprinkled upon the head and occiput. 

 The upper part of the back is also varied with black and ash colored 

 feathers ; and there are indices of the 2 black crescents upon the 

 sides of the breast. 



PELICANS. (Pelecanus, Linn.) 



Ix these large and remarkable birds the bill is very long, broad, 

 straight and much depressed ; the upper mandible flattened, seamed 

 on each side, the ridge distinct, ending in a compressed and strongly 

 hooked nail ; the lower mandible broader, formed of two branches, 

 uniting at the extremity, and supporting a naked membrane distend- 

 ing into a large pouch. Nostrils in the furrow, basal, linear, scarcely 

 distinguishable. Tongue very small and obtuse. Face and cheeks 

 naked. The feet nearly central, short and robust: tibia naked 

 below ; the whole 4 toes connected by a membrane, 3 forward, the 

 hind toe shortest ; webs broad, full and entire. The nail of the mid- 

 dle toe entire or pectinated on its edge. M^ings moderate, ample ; 

 the 2d primary longest ; secondaries extending to the primaries. 

 Tail rounded, of 20 feathers. 



The female similar to the male in plumage ; the young differino- 

 much from the adult for a long period. The moult is annnal. The 

 general color of these very large birds is white or cinereous. 



The Pelicans live indifferently upon rivers, lakes, or on the sea 

 coasts, continuing their flight often for a long period, and occasion- 

 ally rising in the atmosphere to great elevations; they usually, how- 

 ever, fly low and heavily, in a waving and almost serpentine course. 

 They swim well ; and though they can perch on trees with a firm hold, 

 they generally prefer the bosom of the water or the bare ground. 

 Sometimes when aroused by the calls of hunger they skim the surface 

 of the water, or balancing themselves in the air at a moderate elevation, 

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