'THE WHITE, OR GKEAT PELICAN. 



C93 



then dart down with astonishing swiftness, seize it with unerring cer 

 tainty, and store it in their poach. Having done this, they rise again, 

 and continue the same actions till they have procured a competent 

 stock. 



Whence it was that the ancients attributed to this stupid bird the 

 admirable qualities and parental affections for which it was celebrated 

 amongst them, I am unable to imagine; unless, struck with its extra- 

 ordinary figure, they were desirous of supplying it with propensities 

 equally extraordinary. For, in truth, the Pelican is one of the most 

 heavy, sluggish, and voracious, of all the feathered tribes ; and is but 

 ill-fitted to take those vast flights, or to make those cautious pro- 

 visions, which have been mentioned. 



It is, however, by no means destitute of natural affection, either 



towards its young-ones, or 

 towards others of its own 

 species. Clavigero, in his 

 History of Mexico, says, that 

 sometimes the Americans, in 

 order to procure, without 

 trouble, a supply of fish, 

 cruelly break the wing of a 

 live Pelican, and, after tying 

 the bird to a tree, conceal 

 themselves near the place. 

 The screams of the miserable 

 bird attract other Pelicans to 

 the place, which, he assures 

 us, eject a portion of the pro- 

 visions from their pouches, 

 for their imprisoned compa- 

 nion. As soon as the men 

 observe this, they rush to the 

 spot, and, after leaving a 

 small quantity for the bird, 

 carry off the remainder. 



The female feeds her young- 

 ones with fish macerated for 

 some time in her bag. Labat 

 informs us, that he caught 



two Pelicans, when very young, and tied them by the leg to a post 

 ptuck into the ground ; and he had the pleasure of seeing one of the 

 old ones come for several days to feed them, remaining with them 

 the greatest part of the day, and passing the night on the branch of 

 a tree that hung over them. By this means they all three became so 

 familiar as to suffer themselves to be handled ; and the young-onea 

 always took the fish that he offered to them, storing it first iu their 

 bag, and then swallowing it at leisure. 



The Pelican has often been rendered domestic ; and this writer 

 assures us, that he saw one among the Americans so well trained, 

 that it would at command, go off in the morning, and return before 



TISH HAWS ROBBING A PEUCAN, 



