630 



THE PELICAN. 



to the Pacific coast. The Violet-green Cormorant is also a Pacific-coast bird, reaching to 

 California south. Its length is twenty-eight inches. A variety called Florida Cormorant 

 inhabits the southern frontier. The White-crested, Baird's, and Red-faced are enumerated as 

 North American birds. 



Another well-known species of this genus is the Crested Cormorant, Green Cor- 

 morant, or Shag, a bird which can at once be distinguished from the preceding species by 

 the green color of the plumage and the difference in size, the length of an adult male being 

 only twenty-seven inches. In habits this species resembles the Common Cormorant. 





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I 'KLK' AN . —FelUxmus onocrotaliit. 



We how arrive at the well-known Pelican, which is universally accepted as the type 

 of the family. 



This bird is found spread over many portions of Africa and Asia, and is also found in 

 some parts of Southern Europe. It is a. sociable bird, assembling in large flocks, and often 

 mingling with the flamingoes, its white plumage contrasting finely with the scarlet raiment of 

 its long-necked allies. The wings of the Pelican are very long and powerful, and the flight is 

 singularly bold and graceful. 



The pouch of the Pelican is enormously large, capable of containing two gallons of water, 

 and is employed by the bird as a basket wherein to cany the fish which it has caught. The 

 Pelican is a good fisherman, hovering above the water watching for a shoal of fish near the 

 surface. Down sweeps the bird, scoops up a number of fish in its capacious pouch, and then 

 generally goes off homeward. Sometimes it is interrupted l»y a large species of hawk, which 



