722 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — STEGANOPODES. 



from the crop. As Audubon remarks, it is doubtful whether a pelican oould fly at aU. with its 

 burden so out of trim. 



The gular pouch varies in size witli the different species, reaching its greatest development 

 in the brown pelican, where it extends Iialf-way down the neck in front, is a foot deep when 

 distended, and will hold a gallon. Besides this singular adjunct, the bill of our wliite pelican 

 has auotlier curious structure, not found in other species. The culmen is surmounted near the 

 middle by a high thin upriglit comb or crest, the use of which is not known. It is found 

 during the breeding season alone, being shed and renewed in a manner analogous to the casting 

 of deer's horns. Its structure explains how this can be : "The crest-like excrescence on the 

 ridge of the upper mandible is not formed of bone, nor otherwise connected with the osseous 

 surface, which is smooth and continuous beneath it, than by being placed upon it, like any 

 other part of the skiu ; and when softened by immersion in a liquid may be bent a little to 

 either side. It is composed internally of erect slender plates of a iibrous texture, externally of 

 horny fibres, wliich are erect on the sides, and longitudinal on the broadened ridge; these fibres 

 being continuous with the cutis and cuticle." 



Pelicans are found in most temperate and tropical countries, both coastwise and inland ; 

 tliey are gregarious birds at all times, and gatlier in immense troops to breed. A large rude 

 nest is prepared on the ground, or built of sticks in a low bush near the water ; the eggs appear 

 to be one to three, plain dull whitish, with a thick roughened shell. The gait of these cum- 

 bersome birds is awkward and constrained; but their flight is easy, firm, and protracted, and 

 they swim lightly and gracefully, buoyed up by the interior air-sacs. Tlie sexes are alike ; the 

 young different ; most species are white, with yellow or i-osy hue at times, and a crest or lengtli- 

 ened featliers, at the breeding season ; while nearly every one of them has a peculiar contour 

 of the feathering at the base of the bill, by which it may be known. There are only six un- 

 questionable species, although some authors admit eight or nine. The four exotic ones are : 

 P. onocrotaJus of Europe, Asia, and Africa (including the P. minor and javaniciis of authors), 

 with the frontal feathers extending in a point on the culmen ; P. crispus of the same countries, 

 the largest of the genus, and P. riifescens (with philipxnniis) of various parts of the Old World, 

 in both of which the frontal outline is concave on the base of the culmen ; and finally, the 

 Australian P. conspiciUatus, in which a strip of feathers cuts ofi' the naked eircumocular region 

 from the base of the bill. This is an entirely peculiar feature ; and our white pelican shows 

 another, having the sides of the under mandible feathered at base for a short distance. 

 302. PELECA'NUS. (G-r. pelecanus, a pelican.) Pelican. Character as above. 



748. P. trachyrhyn'clius. (Gr. Tpa)(ys, trachus, rough ; pvyxoi, Itrugchos, beak. Fig. 501.) 

 American White Pelican. Adult ^ ? : Plumage white, with black primaries, their coverts, 

 alula, and many of the secondaries, the shafts of the quills white. Lengthened feathers of occiput 

 and breast, and some of the lesser wing-coverts, pale straw-yellow. Tail-feathers said to he 

 rosy at times; and a dark spot to appear on the occiput after the breeding season. Iris pearly 

 white, at times or in young, brown or dusky. Bill and feet ordinarily yellow ; much reddened 

 in the breeding season, when the general tone of the bill is reddish salmon color, the under 

 mandible brighter than the upper, which has the ridge whitish ; pouch passing from livid 

 whitish anteriorly through yeUow and orange to red at base ; bare skin about eye orange ; eye- 

 lids red ; feet intense orange-red. Length .5 feet ; extent 8-9 feet ; wing 2 feet or more ; bill 

 a foot or more ; fore-arm about 1.5 inches ; tail 6.00, 24-feathered ; tibia bare 1.00 ; tarsus 4.50 .■ 

 middle toe about 5.00. This magnificent bird ranges over temperate N. Am. at large, but 

 iiTegnlarly ; rare, casual, or wanting in Middle and Eastern States and beyond ; S. Atlantic 

 and Gulf States, common ; and generally in the West abundant in suitable places, inland as 

 well as coastwise, up to 61° N. at least. Breeds in colonies, sometimes of vast extent ; nest 

 merely a heap of earth ; egg single. 



749. P. fus'cus. (Lat. fuseus, brown.) American Brown Pelican. Adult (J: Bill mottled 



