PELICANS.—ALBATROSSES. 181 
Now, the islands of Captain Flinders are in 
the same division of the world with the Falk- 
land Islands, which are crowded with Alba- 
trosses, which some call Pelicans ; and I can- 
not help suspecting that his Pelicans, and all 
the Pelicans of New Holland, are Alba- 
trosses. Be this as it may, “* The Pelican 
Island” is a very pretty poem, especially the 
first six cantos. The author’s progressive 
creation, from water to fish and corallines, 
from corallines to islands, continents, and 
vegetation, and from vegetation to birds 
and beasts, is beautifully told. It is in this 
manner that he first introduces his Pelz- 
Cans -— 
‘** The sun had sunk where sky and ocean meet, 
And each might seem the other ; sky below, 
With richest garniture of clouds inlaid ; 
Ocean above with isles and continents, 
illumined from a source no longer seen : 
Far in the east, through heavens’ intenser blue. 
Two brilliant sparks, like sudden stars, appear'd ; 
Not stars indeed, but birds of mighty wing, 
Retorted neck, and javelin-pointed bill, 
That made the air sigh as they cut it through. 
They gain’d upon the eye, and as they came, 
Enlarged, grew brighter, and display’d their forms 
R 
