PEL 



TEL 



by them to maintain a short flight on the 

 surface of the water: in this respect re- 

 sembling" the exocoeti, and several other 

 fishes. The two other species are also 

 found in the Indian Seas. 



PELARGONIUM, in botany, crane's 

 bill, a genus of the Monadelphia Heptan- 

 dria class and order. Natural order of 

 Gruinales. Gerania, Jussieu. Essential 

 cliaracter : calyx five-parted, the upper 

 segment ending in a capillary, nectarife- 

 rous tube, running along the peduncle ; 

 corolla five-petalled, irregular ; filaments 

 ten, unequal, three of which are castrat- 

 ed; fruit five-grained, beaked; beak 

 spiral, bearded within. There are eighty- 

 two species : almost all of them are na- 

 tives of Africa, particularly those which 

 are shrubby come from the Cape of Good 

 Hope. 



PELECANUS, the pelican, in natural 

 history, a genus of birds of the order 

 Anseres. Generic character : bill straight, 

 hooked at the point ; nostrils in an almost 

 obliterated furrow ; face almost naked of 

 feathers ; gullet naked, and capable of 

 great distention ; four toes, all webbed to- 

 gether. There are thirty species, of 

 which we shall notice the following : 



P. onocrotalus, or the great pelican, is 

 sometimes of the weight of twenty-five 

 pounds, and of the width, between the 

 extreme points of the wings, of fifteen 

 feet ; the skin, between the sides of the 

 upper mandible, is extremely dilatable, 

 reaching more than half a foot down the 

 neck, and capable of containing many 

 quarts of water. This skin is often used 

 by sailors for tobacco-pouches, and has 

 been occasionally converted into elegant 

 ladies' work-bags. About the Caspian 

 and Black Seas, these birds are very nu- 

 merous and they are chiefly to be found 

 in the warmer regions, inhabiting almost 

 every country of Africa. They build in 

 the small isles of lakes, far from the ha- 

 bitations of man. The nest is a foot and 

 a half in diameter, and the female if mo- 

 lested will remove her eggs into the wa- 

 ter till the cause of annoyance is removed, 

 returning them then to her nest of reeds 

 and grass. These birds, though living 

 principally upon fishes, often build in 

 the midst of desarts, where that element 

 is rarely to be found. They are extreme- 

 ly dexterous in diving for their prey, and 

 after having filled their pouch, will "retire 

 to some rock, and swallow what they 

 have taken at their leisure. They are 

 said to unite with other birds in the pur- 

 suit of fishes. The pelicans dive, and 



drive the fish into the shallows. The 

 cormorants assist, by flapping their wings 

 on the surface, and forming a crescent, 

 perpetually contracting, they at length 

 accomplish their object, and compel vast 

 numbers into creeks and shallows, where 

 they gratify their voracity with perfect 

 ease, and to the most astonishing excess. 



P. occidentals, or the American peli- 

 can, is about the size of a goose : of this 

 bird it is reported, that it will bring sup- 

 plies of food to any disabled and diseased 

 companion; and that the natives of the 

 island of Assumption, by confining ona 

 near the shore, frequently induce others 

 to make these generous presents, which 

 are fradulently converted to the purpose 

 of food for the islanders. 



The red-backed pelican. One of these 

 was in the possession of Mr. Latham, and 

 was found, on an experiment purposely 

 made, to store away ten fishes, weighing 

 a pound each, in its pouch, arranging 

 them with the head towards the throat. 

 It then marched away to swallow them at 

 its leisure ; the pouch being extended 

 nearly down to its feet. 



P. aquilus, or the man of war bird, is 

 small in body, but between the extremi- 

 ties of the wings fourteen feet in width. 

 It is seldom seen but within the tropics, 

 and not unfrequently is observed two 

 hundred leagues from land. It watches 

 the movements of fishes from a very con- 

 siderable height, and pounces upon them 

 with unfailing success, returning from its 

 immersion with equal rapidity. It also 

 often obliges other birds to quit the prey 

 which they have just made, and are flying 

 off with, and seizes it as it drops from 

 them with a dexterity truly admirable. 

 During the movements of flying fishes 

 over the surface of the sea, which are 

 previously indicated to this bird by the 

 bubbling 1 of the water, it is one of their 

 most vigilant and fatal enemies. 



P. carbo, or cormorant, is nearly as 

 large as a goose, is found in many places 

 both of the old and the new world, and is 

 to be met with very common on the sea 

 coast and harbours of the United States, 

 known in many parts by the name of 

 " Negro-Geese." They swim with the 

 body under water, the neck and head on- 

 ly erect and above the surface ; at the 

 flash of a gun or the approach of any 

 danger they dive instantaneously, remain 

 a considerable time under water, and 

 rise at a distance. They have a very 

 offensive smell, and the flesh is not pa- 

 latcable. These birds are shy and cruf- 



