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 SPOTTED-BILL PELICAN. 



PELECANUS PHILIPPENSIS (gM.) 



Description. — Length 57 inches, 

 female shghtly smaller. Bill, yellow 

 with large bluish-black spots on the 

 upper mandible and some black on the 

 lower one. There is a large dull 

 purple gular pouch, spotted with black. 

 Eyelids and skin around the eyes 

 yellow. Iris, yellowish-white. Legs 

 and feet very dark brown. 



In winter, the great part of the 

 plumage is white. There is some 

 pinkish washing on the lower back 

 and under parts. The crown and neck 

 feathers are frizzled. There is a slight 

 crest and a ridge of longer brownish 

 feathers down the back. The wings 

 are marked with dark brown and the 

 tail with light brown. 



Young birds, and adults during the 

 summer, lack the pink washing and 

 show some brown on the under parts. 



Distribution. — Eastern Asia, winter- 

 ing from the Yangtse Valley south to 

 India. 



Family, Phalacrocoracidae, Cormorants. 



The bill of the Cormorant is narrow 

 with a hawk-like hook at the tip. 

 There is no gular pouch and the lores 

 are bare. 



As a rule Cormorants are maritime, 

 but they also frequent bodies of fresh 

 water near the coast. Their flight is 

 strong and straight like the ducks, but, 

 except when migrating, is generally not 

 far above the surface of the water. 



They feed on fish, which are pursued 

 and caught under water. The family 



