CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 8. NATATORES. 



Jo.) 



"W-'^'-^' 





for the ebb-tide, tliousands of pelicans and flamingoes, the deep rose-color of the one strongly con- 

 trasting with the white of the other. 



The subject of Montgomery's beautiful poem, "The Pelican Island," was suggested by a short 



^ passage in Captain Flinder's 



^^iZLl^ ISi^SMM^^-^ voyage to Terra Australis, in 



which he describes one of those 



:^p^^^^^^i' numerous gulfs which indent 



V'''^'*^ "'^r-'^^^v the coast of New Holland, and 



'^. ,':^"-^^#^^"^^ are thickly spotted with small 



islands. "Upon two of these," 

 he says, " we found many young 

 pelicans unable to fly. Flocks 

 of the old birds were sitting up- 

 on the beaches of the lagoon, 

 and it appeared that the islands 

 were their breeding-places; not 

 only so, but from the number 

 of skeletons and bones there 

 scattered, it should seem that, 

 for ages, these had been select- 



TUE PELICAN FEEDING HEll YOUNG. ^"^ ^^ ^^^^ closlug SCCUC of thclr 



existence. Certainly none more 

 likely to be free from disturbance of every kind could have been chosen, than these islets of a 

 hidden lagoon of an uninhabited island, situate upon an unknown coast, near the antipodes of 

 Europe ; nor can any thing be more consonant to their feelings, if pelicans have any, than quietly to 

 resign their breath, surrounded by their progeny, and in the same spot where they first drew it." 

 The following is one of the poet's pictures of the training of the young : 



"On beetling rocks the little ones were marshall'd; 

 There by endearments, stripes, example, urged 

 To try the void convexity of heaven. 

 And plough the ocean's horizontal field. 

 Timorous, at first they fluttered round the verge, 

 Balanced and furled their hesitating wings, 

 Then put them forth again with steadier aim; 

 Now, gaining courage as they felt the wind 

 Dilate their feathers, fill their airy frames 

 With buoyancy that bore them from their feet. 



They yielded all their burthen to the breeze, 



And sailed and soared wliere'er their guardians led. 



Ascending, hovering, wheeling, or alighting. 



They searched the deep in quest of nobler game 



Than yet their inexperience had encountered: 



With these they battled in that element. 



Where wings or fins were equally at home, 



Till conquerors in many a desperate strife. 



They dragged their spoils to land, and gorged at leisure." 



Another picture, from the same graphic pen, may well be added : 



" Day by day, 

 New lessons, exercises, and amusements 

 Employed the old to teach, the young to learn. 

 Now floating on the blue lagoon behold them. 

 The sire and dam in swan-like beauty steering, 

 Their cygnets following through the foaming wake. 

 Picking the leaves of plants, pursuing insects. 

 Or catching at the bubbles as they brake; 

 Till on some minor fry, in reedy shallows, 



With flapping pinions and unsparing beaks, 



The well-taught scholars plied their double art. 



To fish in troubled waters, and secure 



The petty captives in their maiden pouches ; 



Then hurry with their banquet to the shore. 



With feet, wings, breast, half-swimming and half-flying; 



And when their pens grew strong to fight the storm, 



And buftet with the breakers on the reef. 



The parents put them to severer proofs." 



The Common White Pelican, P. onocrotalus, is from five to six feet long, with twelve to thii- 

 tecn expanse of wing, this being the largest of web-footed birds. The color is white, tinged with 

 rose or salmon color. The nest is formed of coarse reedy grass ; the eggs are white, and two to five 

 m number. This bird is very widely distributed ; it is found in the Oriental countries of Europe ; 

 is common on the rivers and lakes of Hungary and Russia; tolerably abundant on the Danube; 

 rare and accidental on the sea-coast. Belon, who refers to Leviticus (xi. IS), where the bird is 

 noted as unclean, says that it is frequent on the lakes of Egypt and Judjca. When he was pass- 

 ing the plain of Roma, which is only half a day's journey from Jerusalem, he saw them flying in 



