( ^12 ) 



bill, which is of a reddilh yellow, inftead of being fmooth or even, as in the 

 common Pelican, is furniflied with a very remarkable elevated longitudinal 

 ridge, the prominences of which are irregular, or of unequal heights in differ- 

 ent parts. The pouch or gular membrane is large and ftriated with nume- 

 rous longitudinal lines of black on each fide. In fize this bird is fcarcely 

 equal to the common fpecies, which it refembles in its manner of life. It is 

 a native of North America. The larger birds of this genus agree in their 

 general habits; living principally on fifli, of which, as well as of water, they 

 are capable of carrying a vaft quantity in the pouch or fkin of the lower 

 mandible. 



The Pelican has been long confidered as the emblem of parental affeftion, 

 and has been idly fuppofed to feed its young ones occafionally with blood, 

 voluntarily drawn from its own breaft; an abfurdity the origin of which has 

 with fome degree of probability been attributed to the pofture and general ap- 

 pearance of the female when juft returned to her nefl with provifion in her 

 gular pouch, when the eagernels of the young ones, in endeavouring to obtain 

 the contents, and the appearance of the tip and edges of the bill, as if ftained 

 with blood, may be fuppofed in fome mcafure to excite this erroneous idea. 



it would be fuperfluous to obferve that this outrageous difplay of maternal 

 tendernefs ftill continues to be exhibited on fign-pofts and in heraldic paint- 

 ings, and together with the reprefcntation of the Phoenix in flames, contributes 

 io perpetuate fome of die nioft remarkable amongft popular errors. 



OTIS 



