318 ANSERES. PELECANID.E. 



gularly sent in considerable quantities to the 

 markets at Norwich and Lynn . . . The young 

 birds leave the nest as soon as hatched, and take 

 to the water. When they can fly well, the old 

 ones depart with them, and by the middle of 

 July they all leave Scoulton. We were a little 

 surprised at seeing some of these Gulls alight and 

 sit upon some low bushy willows which grew on 

 the island. No other than the Brown-headed 

 Gull breeds at this mere ; a few of them breed 

 also in many of the marshes contiguous to the 

 sea-coast of Norfolk." 



FAMILY IV. PELECANID.E. 



{Pelicans.} 



The most characteristic mark of this the last 

 Family of Birds, is, that the hind-toe, which can 

 be brought partially round to point forward, is 

 united to the others by a connecting membrane, 

 so that the whole four toes are webbed. Notwith- 

 standing this structure, which seems to fit them 

 more completely for an aquatic life, most of these 

 birds do not swim or dive at all, but on the other 

 hand, they perch much on trees. They are all 

 good fliers, and some, from the extreme expanse 

 of their wings, have extraordinary powers of flight. 

 They spend a great deal of time upon the wing, 

 some soaring far out over the ocean, or mounting 

 to a most sublime elevation, others beating over a 

 limited space, till the appearance of a fish beneath 

 them arrests their attention, when they plunge 

 down upon it, and instantly rise again into the 

 air. 



