'^82 NATURAL THEOLOGY. 



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 burden at 

 leisure. The bird preys upon the large fishes, and hides 

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

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

 mouth, and conceal it in this monstrous pouch, thus adapt- 

 ed for very singular purposes. "=^ Now this extraordinary 

 conformation is nothing more, say our philosophers, than the 

 result of habit — not of the habit or eflbrt 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 

 w^as glutted, the remainder of its prey, w^iich 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 distention 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 readily accelerate its ad- 

 vance to perfection, by frequently pressing dowai the sack 

 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 wdiich it is impossible to give the account 

 * Goldsmith, vol. 6, p. .'^2. 



