360 HISTORY OF 



ment, I must give the history of a bird, that, from 

 the singularity of its conformation, seems allied 

 to no species, and should therefore be separately 

 described I mean the Pelican. 



CHAPTER II. 



OF THE PELICAN. 



THE Pelican of Africa is much larger in the body 

 than a swan, and somewhat of the same shape 

 and colour. Its four toes are all webbed to- 

 gether, 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 enor- 

 mous bill is fifteen inches from the point to the 

 opening of the mouth, which is a good way back 

 behind the eyes. At the base the bill is some- 

 what greenish, but varies towards the end, being 

 of a reddish-blue. It is very thick in the begin- 

 ning, but tapers off to the end, where it hooks 

 downwards. The under chap is still more extra- 

 ordinary ; 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 a 

 power of wrinkling up into the hollow of the un- 

 der chap; but by opening the bill, and putting 



