868 U S. p. R K. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



Family PELECANIDAE. 



Ch. — Bill long, with the culraen depressed, unguis hooked and acute. Nostrils situated in lateral grooves and hardly per- 

 ceptible. Wings lor.g and pointed. Tail rather short. Toes long, and all four connected by webs. Underneath the lower 

 mandible, and connected with the throat, is a membranous sac or pouch, which may be exceedingly distended. 



Bonaparte, in liis Conspectus Avium, vol. 11^ divides this family into the genera Pelecanus, 

 Oyrtopelecanus and Onocrotalus, our two, species being included by him in the last two. I have , 

 ■ however, thought best to retain them in the old genus Pelecanus. 



PELECANUS, Linnaeus. 



Peltcarms, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1735. Type P. onocrotalus. 



Ch. — Bill very long, nearly straight, and very much depressed ; the tip strong, curved, and acute. Upper mandible with an 

 elevated ridge convex at the base, but gradually becoming flat towards the end ; lower broader at base than the upper. 

 Nostrils basal, lateral, linear, situated in the grooves adjoining the ridge, and scarcely perceptible. Wings moderate, the 

 secondaries not differing much in length from the primaries ; second quill longest. Tail short, broad, and rounded. Tarsi 

 short and stout, covered with reticulated scales. Toes situated on the same plane, and all connected by broad webs ; middle toe 

 the longest. A loose membranous skin occupies a large space on the throat, extending to the end of the lower mandible, and 

 capable of great expansion. 



The birds of this genus are all of large dimensions, and species are found in all parts of the 

 world. They inhabit rivers and lakes equally as well as sea-coasts. Their flight is heavy and not 

 elevated. When resting on the water or on sand bars, after feeding, they are not difficult of 

 approach. 



Two species belonging to tliis genus are found in the United States, which may be known by 

 the following characters : 



Bill yellow, with a bony prominence on the upper mandible ; naked space in the region of the 

 eye yellow ; occipital crest yellow ; gular pouch yellow ; prevailing color white ; tail of 24 

 feathers P.erythrorhynchus. 



Bill greyish white, marked with dusky ; no prominence on the bill ; naked space between 

 bill and eye blue ; occipital crest light chestnut red ; gular pouch dark ; colorsgenerally dark ; 

 tail of 22 feathers P./uscus. 



Cyrtopelicanus, Reich. 

 PELECANUS ERYTHRORHYNCHUS, G m e 1 i n . 



Rough-billed Pelican. 



PtUcanus erytUrorhynchus, Gm. Syst. Nat. 1788, 571. 



Pelecanus trachyrhynchus, Lath. Ind.Orn. II, 1790,884.— Bon. Comp.List, 1838, 60.— Gray, Gen. of Birds, 1845,309. 



Cyrtopelicanus trachyrhynchus, BoN. Cons Av. II, 1855, 163. 



Pelecanus onocrotalus, BoN. Syn. 1828, No. 351 — Rich, and Sw. F. Bor. Am. 11, 1831, 472— Nctt. Nan. 11, 1834, 471. 



Pelecanus americanus, AuD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 88. — Ib. Syn. 1839. — Ib. Birds Am. Yll, 1844, 20 ; pi ccccxxii. 



.> Pelecanus tnolinae, Bp. Comp. Rend. XXXVIII, 1854.— Ib. Notes sur Coll. Delattrc, lb54, 91. 

 Rough-billed Pelican, Lath. Syn. VI, 1785, 586. 



He. Ch. — Head with a yellow occipital crest ; bill yellow, sub-maxillary pouch very large ; general color white ; primaries 

 black, sesond the longest ; legs and feet very strong 



