562 SULAPELECANUS 



its breeding stations the nests are usually placed so thickly as 

 to cover all the available space. They are built of sea- weed, and 

 but a single egg is laid, which is elliptical in shape, the sur- 

 face dull and rough, and white in colour, usually marked with 

 yellowish brown dirt, and measures about 3'12 by 2*2. The cry 

 of the old bird is a hoarse ktirra, hurra, or grog, grog, rapidly 

 repeated, and that of the young bird a shrill squeak. 



Sula piscator (Linn.) has, according to Dr. Finsch, been once 

 obtained in Decastries Bay in Eastern Siberia. 



PELECANUS, Linn., 1766. 



785. ROSEATE PELICAN. 

 PELECANUS ONOCROTALUS. 



Pelecanus onocrotalus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 215 (1766) ; Naum. xi. p. 150, 

 Taf. 282 ; Gould, B. of E. v. pi. 405 ; Dresser, vi. p. 193, pi. 393 ; 

 Grant, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxvi. p. 462 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. 

 p. 334. 



Pelican blanc, French ; Pelicano, Portug. and Span. ; Pellicano 

 Ital. ; Pelikan, Kropfgans, German ; Abu-d/jeme^ Arab. ; Rosovaya 

 Baba, Russ. ; Murgi-scefit, Pers. ; Berkasan, Tartar. 



$ ad. (S.E. Europe). General colour white tinged with rose ; occipital 

 feathers elongated and pointed, forming a crest, and an elongated 

 tuft on the lower neck, tinged with isabelline ; primaries black ; bill blue- 

 grey with a pink line marked with red down the side ; space round the 

 eye, forehead, and sides of the frontal lump yellowish ; feet and legs pink ; 

 iris rich red. Culmen 16 '0, wing 28'6, tail 8'2, tarsus 5'4 inch. The 

 male is similar but has little or no crest. The young bird has the upper 

 parts dull creamy buff varied with greyish brown ; rump dirty white ; tail 

 dull greyish ; wings brown with greyish margins ; under parts dirty 

 white. 



Hob. Southern and south-eastern Europe, rarely straying 

 into central Europe ; of doubtful occurrence in Denmark, and 

 a rare straggler to Sweden and Finland; north Africa; Asia 

 Minor and Asia east to northern India. 



Frequents inland waters and large marshes where it breeds. 

 It swims with ease, and its flight is easy. It feeds on fish which 

 it captures by dipping its head and taking the fish in its pouch, 

 and they often combine and drive the fish in a small bay. Its 

 note is a deep loud cry. This bird breeds in societies in large 

 marshes, constructing a nest of reeds, and in April or May, 

 2 or 3, rarely 4, eggs are laid, which are white, the surface 

 chalky and rough and generally marked with blood. In size 

 they measure about 3'5 by 2'32. 



