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Genus PELECANUS. 



Onocrotalus apud Brisson, Orn. vi. p. 519 (1760). 

 Pelecanus, Linnseus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 215 (1766). 



The Pelicans, of which two are found in the Western Palsearctic Region, inhabit the Palsearctic, 

 Ethiopian, Oriental, Australian, Nearctic, and Neotropical Regions. They, like their allies the 

 Gannets, are essentially aquatic in their habits, frequenting rivers, lakes, and the sea-coast, and 

 feeding entirely on fish, of which they devour large quantities ; and they also carry a supply to 

 their young in the large pouch which extends under their bill ; they frequently traverse long 

 distances thus laden with provender. They swim with ease and great swiftness, and fly with 

 tolerable facility and speed, though they take wing heavily. Frequently they fly at great 

 altitudes, describing large circles in the air. Their note is a deep, loud cry, which may be 

 heard at a considerable distance. They breed in large lagoons or shallow lakes, constructing 

 on the small islands or on a platform of reeds a large bulky nest of reeds and aquatic herbage, 

 and deposit two or three rough chalky white eggs. 



Pelecanus onocrotalus, the type of the genus, has the bill much longer than the head, 

 straight, broad, the upper mandible flat, compressed towards the tip, which is sharply hooked, 

 lower mandible forming two branches attached at the point, and sustaining a large membrane 

 forming a dilatable pouch ; space round and in front of the eyes bare ; nostrils basal, elongated ; 

 wings long, broad, the first quill longer than the fourth, the second and third nearly equal and 

 longest ; tail moderately long, nearly even ; legs short, strong ; the feet webbed ; the lower part 

 of the tibia bare ; tarsus short, stout ; claws moderate. 



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