THE PELICAN. 205 



truth is, the Pelican is a very heavy, sluggish, voracious 

 bird, and very ill-fitted to take those flights or make those 

 cautious provisions for a distant time which we have 

 been told they do. Father Labat, who seems to have 

 studied their manners with great exactness, has given us a 

 minute history of this bird, as found in America ; and from 

 him I will borrow mine. 



The Pelican, says Labat, has strong wings, furnished 

 with thick plumage of an ash color, as are the rest of the 

 feathers over the whole body. Its eyes are very small 

 when compared to the size of its head ; there is a sadness 

 in its countenance, and its whole air is melancholy. It i$ as 

 dull and reluctant in its motions, as the flamingo is sprightly 

 and active. It is slow of flight ; and when it rises to fly, 

 performs it with difficulty and labor. Nothing, as it would 

 seem, but the spur of necessity, could make these birds 

 change their situation, or induce them to ascend into the 

 air ; but they must either starve or fly. 



They are torpid and inactive to the last degree, so that 

 nothing can exceed their indolence but their gluttony ; it is 

 only from the stimulations of hunger that they are excited 

 to labor ; for otherwise they would continue always in 

 fixed repose. When they have raised themselves about 

 thirty or forty feet above the surface of the sea, they turn 

 their head with one eye downwards, and continue to fly in 

 that posture. As soon as they perceive a fish sufficiently 

 near the surface, they dart down upon it with the swiftness 

 of an arrow, seize it with unerring certainty, and store 

 it up in their pouch. They then rise again, though not 

 without great labor, and continue hovering and fishing, 

 with their head on one side, as before. 



This work they continue with great effort and industry 

 till their bag is full, and then they fly to land, to devour 

 and digest at leisure the fruits of their industry. This, 

 however, it would appear, they are not long in performing ; 

 for towards night they have another hungry call, and they 



