426 PELICANS. 



ground completely uncovered, and the old ones were stalking around them. 



They lay but one egg upon the ground, where they make a kind of nest by 

 scraping the earth around it. The young is entirely white, and covered with 

 a woolly down, which is very beautiful. As wc approached, they snapped 

 their beaks with a very quick noise, — the only means of defence they seem to 

 possess." 



"Angling for albatross is quite a favourite amusement, and the bird often 

 gives good sport, sometimes rising into the air and being drawn down on deck 

 like a boy's kite, but generally hanging back with all its might, and resisting 

 the pull of the line by means of its wings, squared in the water. It is no easy 

 mailer to haul in an albatross under such circumstances, and the bird often 

 escapes by the hook tearing out or the line breaking. Nothing, however, 

 teaches it wisdom, for in a few minutes it is quite as ready to take the bait 

 again : even those that have been captured and marked by a ribbon tied round 

 their necks, and set at liberty, will follow the vessel as soon as they recover 

 themselves. When one is hooked the others become very angry, thinking it 

 is monopolizing the tempting food ; down they sweep accordingly, and when 

 settled on the water, are very much astonished to see their companion towed 

 away and themselves left sitting on the waves with nothing to eat." 



FAMILY V. 

 THE PELICANS. PELECANID.^. 



General Characteristics.— Bill more or less long, broad at the base, straight, and 

 compressed lo the tip, which is somelimes hooked; the nostrils linear, antl some- 

 times scarcely visible ; tlie wings long, and the first quill the longest ; the tarsi short 

 and robust; the toes long, and all four connected together by a broad membrane; 

 the face and throat more or less naked, the latter sometimes fuiTiished with a naked 

 dilating skin, or pouch, from the base of the lower mandible. 



The Pelecanidai are distinguished from the preceding famiHes 

 by the peculiar structure of their feet, which are furnished with 

 four toes, all united by a continuous web, the hind toe being 

 situated upon the inner part of the tarsus, and rather directed 

 towards the front. The bill in the various genera is strongly 

 formed, and generally longer than the head ; in many the tip is 

 bent downwards, and armed with a very strong hook ; in others 

 it is straight and sharp pointed. In the latter case the tail is long 

 and forked, and the legs very short, as in many of the Raptorial 

 Order. The feet are small, and the web connecting the toes so 

 curtailed as to be inadequate for swimming. These birds live 

 almost entirely in the air, and take their food upon the wing, 

 swooping down upon the flying-fishes as they spring out of the 

 sea, or harassing other aquatic birds till they disgorge their prey, 



