218 THE PELICAN. 



but as the Pelican's beak is by no means fitted for 

 boring into the tough coat of a buffalo, we cannot 

 account for the apparent satisfaction expressed by 

 the animal on its making this settlement. 



Of the voracity and capacious stomach of the 

 Pelican, as well as of his pouch, we have spoken 

 before (vol. i., p. 51.) Of this, the Chinese take ad- 

 vantage, and train a species of Pelican or Cormorant, 

 called by them, Loo-fou, as fishing birds. The 

 fisherman fastens an iron ring round the bird's neck, 

 so that it cannot swallow. Thus prepared, he sits 

 quietly in his boat, till he sees a fish, when the bird 

 is immediately tossed into the water. Its quick eye 

 instantly perceives the game, and as instantly does 

 the bird dart after it. On rising, the boatman opens 

 the pouch, and taking out the fish, waits for the ap- 

 pearance of another. 



To the Pelican succeeds the Cormorant; so closely, 

 indeed, are they allied, that many naturalists have 

 classed them together, and given them the same 

 scientific name; for instance, our common Corno- 

 rant is called Pelicanus carbo. The Cormorant, 

 however, may be distinguished by the claw of the 

 middle toe being indented like a saw*, probably to 

 help him in retaining the slippery bodies of small 

 fish, as the toothed claw of the Herons serves for a 

 similar purpose. Possibly it may further serve so 

 awkwardly-shaped a bird, by enabling it to cling to 

 branches; for, although they usually frequent rocks 

 and precipices, they can, and very often do, perch 

 on trees. The poet, Milton, seems to have been 

 aware of this, when he describes Satan taking the 



* See figure, inserted in vol. ii., p. 131. 



