BROWN PELICAN. 383 



At all seasons, the Negroes of the plantations on the eastern coast of 

 the Floridas lie in wait for the Pelicans. There, observe that fellow, 

 who, with rusty musket, containing a tremendous charge of heavy shot, 

 is concealed among the palmettoes, on the brink of a kind of embank- 

 ment formed by the shelly sand. Now comes a flock of Pelicans, forcing 

 their way against the breeze, unaware of the danger into which they rush, 

 for there, a few yards apart, several Negroes crouch in readiness to fire ; 

 and let me tell you, good shots they are. Now a blast forces the birds 

 along the shore ; off goes the first gun, and down comes a Pelican ; shot 

 succeeds shot ; and now the Negroes run up to gather the spoil. They 

 skin the birds Uke so many racoons, cut off the head, wings and feet ; 

 and should you come this way next year, you may find these remains 

 bleached in the sun. Towards night, the sable hunters carry off their 

 booty, marching along in Indian file, and filling the air with their ex- 

 temporaneous songs. At home they perhaps salt, or perhaps smoke them; 

 but in whatever way the Pelicans are prepared, they are esteemed good 

 food by the sons of Africa. 



The Brown Pelican is a strong and tough bird, although not so weighty 

 as the white species. Its flesh is, in my opinion, always impure. It seems 

 never satisfied with food, and it mutes so profusely, that not a spot of ver- 

 dure can be seen on the originally glossy and deep-coloured mano-roves on 

 which it nestles ; and I must say that, much as I admire it in some re- 

 spects, I should be sorry to keep it near me as a pet. 



During winter, when the mullets, a favourite fish with the Brown 

 Pelican, as it is with me, retires into deeper water, these birds advance 

 farther to seaward, and may be seen over all parts of the Gulf of Mexico, 

 and between the Florida Reefs and the opposite isles, especially during 

 fine weather. They are very sensible to cold, and in this respect are ten- 

 der birds. Now and then, at this season, they are seen on Lake Borgue 

 and over Lake Pontchartrain, but never on the Mississippi beyond the 

 rise of the tides, the space higher up being abandoned to the White Peli- 

 can. The keenness of their sight is probably equal to that of any hawk, 

 and their hearing is also very acute. They are extremely silent birds, 

 but when excited they utter a loud and rough grunt, which is far from 

 musical. The young take two years to attain maturity. Several persons 

 in the Floridas assured me that the Brown Pelicans breed at all seasons 

 of the year ; but as I observed nothing to countenance such an idea, I 

 would give it as my opinion that they raise only one brood in the season. 



