THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 129 



PLUMAGE AND COLOURATION. Feathering long and 

 loose ; colour mostly white or grey in adults, brown 

 in young. Quills black. Pouch and face always 

 bare. Little sex-difference, but some small seasonal 

 change. 



YOUNG. Helpless, naked at first, then clad in pale 

 down. The bill is quite short at first. 



NEST. A mass of sticks, rushes, etc., placed on trees 

 or on the ground. 



EGGS. Several ; white, rough. 



INCUBATION. A month to about seven weeks. 



COURTSHIP. The male crouches down and rubs his 

 head to and fro with open bill and expanded pouch. 



FOOD. Fish, and occasionally young water-fowl. 



GAIT. A waddling walk. They swim rapidly and sit 

 high in the water, but do not dive. They usually 

 reach down from the surface for their food, but the 

 American Brown Pelican (Pelecanus fuscus) marks 

 its prey on the wing, and swoops down on it. They 

 perch freely on trees as a rule. 



FLIGHT. Slow and powerful ; they often soar on 

 motionless wings. The feet are extended in flight 

 and the neck drawn in. 



NOTE. A croak ; they are very silent birds as a rule. 



DISPOSITION AND HABITS. They are sociable, and often 

 fish in company, forming line and driving the fish 

 into shallow water. They are almost constantly 

 pluming themselves. 



ECONOMIC QUALITIES. They are usually regarded as 

 harmful birds wherever the preservation of fish is 

 important, on account of the quantity they 

 destroy. 



CAPTIVITY. They thrive well confined, attaining to a 

 very great age, and the common White Pelican has 

 bred in Continental zoological gardens. 



DISTRIBUTION AND IMPORTANT SPECIES. Pelicans are 

 found almost everywhere, by large bodies of fresh 



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