S13 LETTER L. 



The enormous bill of the pelican is fifteen inches 

 long, from the point to the opening of the mouth, 

 which is a good way behind the eyes; its base is 

 greenish, but it varies towards th,e end, which is of a 

 reddish blue. At the lower edge of the under chap 

 hangs the pouch, or bag, which is capable of contain- 

 ing fifteen quarts of water, and reaches the whole 

 length of the bill as far as the neck. The bird has 

 the power of wrinkling up this bag into the hollow of 

 the under jaw: it is not covered with feathery, but 

 with a very smooth ;;iul soft down, and when empty, 

 is scarcely perceptible; arid Tertre assures us, that 

 when filled, it is ca pah! e of containing as much fish 

 as would suffice sixty : ii-n to dinner. Such is the 

 wonderful conformation of this extraordinary bird. 



The pelican was once known all over Europe, al- 

 though it now seems to have deserted our coasts. In 

 the island of Manilla, the bird is of a rose colour; but 

 in America, ash-coloured; and in Africa, whit*-;. 

 They are all torpid and inactive. It is only from the 

 imp'.ilse of hunger that they are excited to action, and 

 without that irresistible stimulus, they would always 

 continue in fixed repose. 



The pelican is a bird remarkable for its longevity : 

 and Gesner tells us, that the Ernperor Maximilian had * 

 # tame one w ? hich lived above eighty years, and al- 

 ways accompanied his army on its march. 



THE FRIGATE PELICAN 



is cm'efly met with between the tropics: it is about 

 the size of a large fowl. It is often found above a 

 hundred, or sometimes two hundred leagues from 

 land ; and sometimes settles on the masts of ships. Its 

 extraordinary expansion of wing, which is not less 

 than fourteen feet, enables it to take those immense 

 flights. When it is unsuccessful in fishing, it attacks 

 the gulls, and other water fowl, and by compelling 

 them to disgorge the fish they have taken, indemni- 

 fies itself for its own ill success. 



THE CORMORANT 



is another species of the pelican, about the size of a 

 Muscovy duck. It is chiuily remarkable for its hide- 



