THE PELICAN. 61 # 



Labat fastened two young pelicans to a stake, where the mother daily brought thena 

 food, and remained with thom constantly until the evening. The trio became -very 

 fiimiliar, suftering Labat to touch them ; and the young ones gratefully accepted the 

 little tish which he oiiered to them, and which they put into their pouches. 



The subject of ilontgomery's beautiful poem, the " Pelican Island," was suggested by 

 a short passage in Captain hlindcr's voj'age to Terra Australis, in which he describes one 

 of those numerous gulfs which indent the coast of New Holland, and are thickly spotted 

 with small islands. "Upon two of these," he says, "we found many young pelicans 

 unable to tiy. Flocks of the old birds were sitting upon the beaches of the lagoon, and 

 it appeared that the islands wei-e their breeding-places ; not only so, but from the 

 number of skeletons and bones there scattered, it should seem that, for ages, these had 

 been selected as the closing scene of their existence. Certainly none more likely to be free 

 from disturban^ce of every kind could have been chosen, than these islets of a hidden 

 lagoon of an uninhabited island, situate upon an unknown coast, near the antipodes of 

 Europe ; nor can anything be more consonant to their feelings, if pelicans have any, 

 than quietly to resign their breath, surrounded bj' their progeny, and in the same spot 

 where they first drew it." 



The following is one of the poet's pictures of the training of the young : — 



" On beetling rocks the little ones were marsliall'd ; 

 Thei'c by tudcarmcuts,- stripes, example, ui'gcd 

 To try the void convexity of heaven, 

 And jjlougla the ocean's horizontal field. 

 Timorous, at first they fluttered round the verge, 

 Balanced and furled theii- hesitating wings, 

 Then put them forth again with steadier aim ; 

 Now gaining com'age as they felt the wind. 

 Dilate their feathers, fill their airy fi'ames 

 With buoyancy that bore them from their feet, 

 They yielded all their burthen to the breeze. 

 And sailed and soared where'er their guardians led. 

 Ascending, hovering, wheeling, or alighting. 

 They searched the deep in quest of nobler game 

 Than yet their inexperience had encountered : 

 With these they battled in that clement. 

 Where wings or fins were equally at home. 

 Till conquerors in many a desperate strife. 

 They dragged their spoils to land, and goi'ged at leisure." 



• Another picture, from the same exquisitely graphic pen, may well be added : — 



" Day by day. 

 New lessons, exercises, and amusements 

 Employed the old to teach, the young to learn. 

 Now floating on the blue lagoon behold them. 

 The sire and dam in swan-like beauty steei-ing, 

 Their cygnets following through the foaming wake, 

 Picking the leaves of plants, pursuing insects. 

 Or catching at the bubbles as they brake ; • 



Till on some nfinor fry, in reedy shallows. 

 With flapping pinions and unsparing beaks. 

 The well-taught scholars plied their double art. 

 To fish in troubled waters, and sccme 

 The petty captives in theii' maiden pouches ; 

 Then hurry with their banquet to the shore, 

 With feet, wings, breast, half-swimming and half-flying ; 

 And when their pens grew strong to fight the storm. 

 And bufl'ct with the breakers on the reef, 

 The parents put them to severer prcfofs." 



