002 PALMIPEDES. 



to twenty-five feet, plunges in an oblique and some- 

 what winding direction: spi-eading its wings, it stretches 

 its lower mandible and pouch as it I'eaches the water, and 

 suddenly scoops up the object of its pursuit, — immersing 

 the head and neck, and sometimes the body, for an 

 instant. It immediately swallows its prey, rises on wing, 

 dashes on another fish, seizes and devours it ; and thus 

 continues, sometimes plunging eight or ten times in a few 

 minutes, and always with unerring aim. When gorged, 

 it rests on the water for a while ; but if it has a brood, 

 or a mate sitting on her eggs, it flies off at once towards 

 them, no matter how heavily laden it may be. The 

 generally-received idea that Pelicans keep fish or water 

 in tlieir pouch, to convey them to their young, is (piite 

 erroneous. The water which enters the pouch when it 

 is immersed, is immediately forced out between the 

 partially closed mandibles ; and the fish, unless larger 

 than those on which they usually feed, is instantly 

 swallowed, to be afterwaixls disgorged for the use of the 

 young either partially macerated or whole, according to 

 the age and size of the latter. They, at times, follow the 

 porpoii-e, whsn that animal is in pursuit of prey, and as 

 the fishes rise from the deep water towards the surface, 

 come in cunningly for their share, — falling upon the 

 frightened shoal and seizing one or more, which they 

 instantly gobble up." — {Audubon.) 



The nest of the Pelican consists of a mass of grass, 

 sedges, and other aquatic plants, and is generally placed 

 quite close to the edge of the w^ater. The eggs are two 

 or three in number. During the process of incubation, 

 the male is said to furnish his partner vv-itli food, and 

 when the young are hatched, both parents are assiduous 

 in attending upon them. In disgorging their prey foi' 

 the nourishment of the young, the birds are described as 

 pressing the })ouch against their breast, and it is probable 

 that the notion prevalent among the ancients, that the 

 Pelican in times of scarcity nourished her young with 

 her own blood, must have originated in the gesture above 

 mentioned, — when the bright red tip of the bill, strongly 

 contrasted with the white 2)lumage of the breast, would 

 have the appearance of being dipped in blood. 



