THE PELICAN. 



PLATE XXin, XXIV. THE PELICAN. 



THE Pelican of Africa is much larger in the body than 

 a swan, and somewhat of the same shape and color. Its 

 four ioes are all webbed together ; and its neck, in some 

 measure, resembles that of a swan : but that singularity 

 in which it differs from all other birds is in the bill and the 

 great pouch underneath, which are wonderful, and demand 

 a distinct description. This enormous bill is fifteen in- 

 ches from the point to the opening of the mouth, which is 

 a good way back behind the eyes. At the base the bill 

 is somewhat greenish, but varies towards the end, being 

 of a reddish-blue. It is very thick in the beginning, but 

 tapers off to the end, where it hooks downwards. The 

 under chap is still more extraordinary ; for to the lower 

 edges of it hangs a bag, reaching 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 the power 

 of wrinkling up into the hollow of the under chap ; but by 

 opening the bill and putting one's hand down into the bag 

 it may be distended at pleasure. The skin of which it is 

 formed will then be seen of a bluish ash-color, with many 

 fibres and veins running over its surface. It is not covered 

 with feathers, but a short downy substance, as smooth and 

 as soft as satin, and is attached all along the under edges 

 of the chap, to be fixed backward to the neck of the bird 

 by proper ligaments, and reaches near half way down. 

 When this bag is empty it is not seen ; but when the bird 

 has fished with success, it is then incredible to what an 

 extent it is often dilated. For the first thing the Pelican 

 does in fishing is to fill up the bag ; and then it returns to 

 digest its burden at leisure. When the bill is open to its 

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



