PELECANUS RUFESCENS. 777 
feathers of the head coming down in a point on the forehead; head 
crested ; cheeks bare, and with the pouch, which extends half-way 
down the throat, light yellow; centre of upper mandible, and base of 
lower, blue-black ; the other parts yellow, with crimson markings ; 
legs flesh-coloured. Length, 6’ 2”; wing, 2’ 5”; tail, 1’ 3”; tip of 
bill to forehead, 18”. 
759. PELECANUS RUFESCENS, Gm. Red-backed Pelican. 
This delicately-tinted Pelican has several times been shot in the 
neighbourhood of Cape Town in company with the preceding, which 
it resembles in habits. We saw them both in considerable numbers 
at Zoetendals Vley in October, 1865. They have also been procured 
in Natal. 
Mr. Ayres observes: “These birds frequent the bay of Natal and 
the mouths of the rivers on the coast; their food, I believe, consists 
entirely of fish. They appear to feed in the evening and early 
in the morning, basking in the sun during the day. They are 
gregarious, and may be seen in flights of from three to thirty, which 
occasionally come inland. In such cases, although I have seen 
them wheeling round and round close to the ground, I have not seen 
them alight, but have watched them until out of sight. In their 
flight they generally form the letter V, similarly to the Geese, &c. 
They are to be found here all the year round more or less, frequent- 
ing the most retired parts of the bay, and are exceedingly shy and 
wary. The bird now sent, when shot, was only pinioned, and falling 
into the water, gave me a long chase. It swam with such swiftness, 
that by the time I got into my boat it had three hundred yards’ start. 
There being a strong head wind blowing at the time, I had the 
greatest difficulty in overtaking it, and rowed more than a mile 
before I was near enough to give the bird a second shot, which put 
an end to its existence. These Pelicans soar to an immense height, 
wheeling round and round, especially when coming from a distance. 
They appear to examine the waters well before they alight, and settle 
far out of gunshot of any cover there may be.” Senor Anchieta 
has secured specimens at Mossamedes and on the River Coroca. 
General colour, white ; frosted with grey on the wings, tail, head, 
neck, and belly ; tinged with yellow on the stiff feathers of the 
breast, and with pink behind the thighs and all down the back ; 
wing-feathers, dark brown; head, crested; pouch, yellow, with 
