1869.] MR. D.G. ELLIOT ON THE GENUS PELECANUS. 587 
Head with slight occipital crest. Feathers of the forehead form- 
ing a concave line upon the culmen. Bare space between the bill 
and the eye. Gular patch large, extending in nearly a straight line 
from under mandible halfway down the neck. Feathers of the 
neck and throat soft and downy, becoming, however, rather stiff on 
the upper part of the breast. Tail 22 feathers. 
Adult male in breeding-plumage.—Fore part of head bright yel- 
low, crown to occiput and a narrow line running down the neck along 
the edge of the pouch white; rest of neck and a short line between 
the white in front, at the lower part, deep rich chestnut. The neck at 
other seasons of the year is yellowish white. Short crest reddish 
brown. Back and wings ash, with dusky edges, the latter colour 
becoming almost obsolete on the greater coverts. Primaries blackish 
brown ; the shafts white for the greater part, black towards the tips. 
Secondaries greyish brown, margined with pale brown. Tail greyish 
ash; shafts of feathers blackish brown, white at their base. At the 
end of neck in front a small patch of light yellow. Under parts 
dark brown; sides marked with narrow longitudinal white lines. 
Bill greyish with a brown tinge, spotted irregularly with carmine. 
Under mandible for half its length and tip of upper mandible black- 
ish. Bare space about the eye blue; gular pouch blackish, streaked 
with brownish lines. 'Tarsi and feet black. Length about 50 inches, 
wing 23 inches, tail 7 inches, bill 13 inches, tarsus 23 inches, middle 
toe 32 inches. 
The female is rather larger than the male, and resembles him in 
colour of plumage. 
Young.—Upper parts generally dark brown, secondaries and 
coverts tipped with lighter brown. Primaries and tail brownish 
black, with white shafts. Bill and gular pouch greyish blue. 
Under parts white. Tarsus and feet lead-colour. 
Hab. Shores of the Gulf of Mexico, California. F 
The Brown Pelican is very numerous on the sea-coast of the 
Southern States, particularly at Key West, in Florida, where it fre- 
quents the salt-water inlets and bays that abound there. In its 
habits it differs somewhat from the White Pelican, especially in its 
mode of procuring food, which is obtained by plunging obliquely 
into the water, frequently immersing the whole body. The prey 
is scooped up and immediately swallowed, and the plunge repeated 
until its hunger is satisfied. Audubon states that the Black-headed 
Gulls follow this bird when on a fishing-excursion, and when the 
Pelican has obtained a quantity of fish some frequently fall out of 
its pouch when the water is allowed to escape. The Gulls, to ob- 
tain these, alight upon the bill or head of the Pelican, and seize 
them before they reach the water. I have never witnessed this 
curious fact. The food of this species appears to be entirely fish, 
small ones being usually selected. The Brown Pelican goes in 
flocks until the breeding-time, which is about the middle of April, 
when the old ones separate from the younger birds. The nest, 
which is constructed of sticks, roots, and plants,is placed on or near 
the tops of the mangroves; and the eggs, two to three in number, 
