384 DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSEUM. 



which forms a bag capable of containing fish and 

 water. The pelican inhabits the sea-shores and 

 lakes, it feeds on living fish. At the time of 

 the pairing season, the hooked extremity of its 

 beak becomes of the liveliest red. When it feeds 

 its young, it ejects the fish kept in reserve in the 

 above mentioned bag, and cuts them to pieces ; 

 the blood that then drops on its breast has 

 given rise to the belief that it tore its breast to 

 nourish its young. Below the pelicans are the 

 cormorants, which destroy a great quantity of 

 fish ; they build on trees or in the hollows of 

 rocks. 



The frigate birds (pelecanus, Lath.) are in the 

 fifty-third case. Their wings, which measure 

 from 10 to 12 feet, are so powerful that they fly 

 to an immense distance from land, especially 

 between the tropics ; they dart upon flying-fish, 

 and strike the boobies (morns, Yieill.) to make 

 them quit their prey. These boobies, which we 

 see on the lower shelves, have been so called 

 from the stupid manner in which they suffer 

 themselves to be attacked by sea birds and by 

 men. They sometimes rest on the rigging of 

 vessels, and are then easily taken with the hand. 

 The tropic birds (phaeton) occupy the bottom of 

 the case ; they are called straw-tails on account 

 of the two long beardless feathers in their tail; 



