332 PEL SCAN IDvE. 



of the Jtexar longus hallucis reaches the hallux. Aquincubital ; 

 affrershaft rudimentary or wanting; plumage of the neck con- 

 tinuous, without apteria. The eggs are somewhat variable ; the 



Fig. 76. Foot of Phalacrocorax juvanicus. 



young are hatched blind, either naked or covered with down, but 

 in all cases undergo a protracted downy stage, during which they 

 are helpless and fed by the parent birds. 



Families of Steganopodes. 



a. Web between toes deeply emarginate ; tail 



forked Fregatidae. 



b. Web between toes not em arginate; tail rounded 



or cuneate. 

 '. Middle tail-feathers not greatly produced ; 



nostrils not pervious. 



a". Size very large : bill long, flattened. . . . Pelecanidae. 

 b" . Size moderate : bill compressed. 



a 3 . Bill slender, subcylindrical, or very 



elongate and pointed ; nostrils small . Phalacrocoracidas. 

 b 3 . Bill stout, conical ; no external nostrils. Sulidae. 

 b'. Middle tail-feathers greatly produced ; nos- 

 trils pervious Phaethontidae. 



Family PELECANIDAE. 



This family, like PhaetJwntidce, Sulidce, and Freyatidce, consists of 

 a single living genus, which is distributed throughout the warm 

 and temperate regions of the earth. There are 17 cervical ver- 

 tebrae. The ambiens and all other of the characteristic thigh- 

 muscles are absent, except the femoro-caudal. No syringeal 

 muscles. 



Genus PELECANUS, Linn., 1766. 



Upper mandible depressed, narrower and higher at the base, 

 broader and flattened towards the end, composed of a median bar, 

 convex externally, continuing the whole length of the bill, and 

 terminating in a strongly hooked nail, and of two lateral portions, 



