OF THE PERSONALITY 013 THE DEITY. 247 



rare, till the deterioration ended in the result which we see, 

 of ahsolute nakedness. I will meniion a third instance, 

 because it is drawn from an active habit, as the two last 

 were from passive habits ; and that is the poach of the pe- 

 lican. The description, which naturalists give of this 

 organ is as follows : " From the lower edges of the under 

 chap, hangs a bag, reaching from the whole length of the 

 bill to the neck, which is said to be capable of containing 

 fifteen quarts of water. This bag the bird has a power of 

 wrinkling up into the hollow of the under chap. When the 

 bag is empty it is not seen ; but when the bird has fished 

 with success, it is incredible to what an extent it is often 

 dilated. The first thing the pelican does in fishing, is to 

 fill the bag ; and then it returns to digest its burthen at 

 leisure. The bird preys upon the large fishes, and hi'les 

 them by dozens in its pouch. When the bill is opened to 

 its widest extent, a person may run his head into the bird's 

 mouth ; and conceal it in his monstrous pouch, thus adapted 

 for very singular purposes."* Now this extraordinary con- 

 formation, is nothing more, say our philosophers, than the 

 result of habit ; not of the habit or effort of a single pelican, 

 or of a single race of pelicans, but of a habit perpetuated 

 through a long series of generations. The pelican soon 

 found the conveniency of reserving in its mouth, when its 

 appetite was glutted, the remainder of its prey, which is 

 fish. The fulness produced by this attempt, of course 

 stretched the skin which lies between the under chaps, as 

 being the most yielding part of the mouth. Every disten- 

 sion increased the cavity. The original bird, and many 

 generations which succeeded him, might find difficulty 

 enough in making the pouch answer this purpose : but 

 future pelicans, entering upon life with a pouch derived from 

 their progenitors, of considerable capacity, would more read- 

 ily accelerate its advance to perfection, by frequently press- 

 ing down the sac with the weight of fish which it might 

 now be made to contain. 



These, or of this kind, are the analogies relied upon. 

 Now in the first place, the instances themselves are unau- 

 thenticated by testimony ; and in theory, to say the least of 

 them, open to great objections. Who ever read of camels 

 without bunches, or with bunches less than those with which 

 they are at present usually formed ? A bunch, not unlike 

 the camel's, is found between the shoulders of the buffalo ; 

 of the origin of which it is impossible to give the account 



^ Goldsmith, vpl. vi. p. 52, 



