286 ZOOLOGICAL GARDE^S. 



latter has been dismembered into four parts, of which 

 the Cormorant, the Pehcan, the Gannet, and the Fri- 

 gate-bird, each distinguished by essential modifications 

 both of structure and habits, form the respective types. 



In the true Pelicans the bill is of great length, broad 

 in proportion, flattened from above downwards, and 

 perfectly straight, wdth the exception of a slight hook 

 at the middle point of the upper mandible ; the edges 

 of both mandibles are entire, being perfectly free from 

 denticulations ; and the lower is formed of two long 

 slender flexible branches, united together only at the 

 tip, and having the intermediate space occupied by a 

 widely dilatable membranous pouch, which extends for 

 some distance down the fore part of the neck. The 

 middle part of the upper mandible forms a slight pro- 

 jection, bounded on either side by a narrow groove, in 

 which, near the base of the bill, are situated the almost 

 imperceptible nostrils ; the eyes are surrounded by a 

 naked space continuous with the base of the bill ; the 

 neck is rather long ; the body large ; the legs short, 

 and naked above the knee ; and the wings of moderate 

 length, with the first quill-feathers the longest. The 

 tongue is so short as to have been entirely overlooked 

 by the earlier writers. 



The White or Common Pelican is, as the first of 

 these names implies, almost entu'ely white when in its 

 adult state. The quill-feathers, however, which are 

 scarcely visible when the wings are closed, are black ; 

 and the whole plumage, as the bird advances in age, 

 exhibits a slight tinge of flesh-colour, which is some- 

 times mixed with a shade of light yellow. The bill is 

 at this period of a dull lead-colour on the sides of the 

 lower mandible and along the middle line of the upper, 

 which is yelloAvish in the intermediate part and reddish 

 at the edges, the hooked tip especially becoming of a 

 bright red. The iris is deep brown ; the naked part of 



