AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN. 05 



hollow guttural sound somewhat resembling that produced by blowing 

 through the bung-hole of a cask. 



The White Pelicans appear almost inactive during the greater part of the 

 day, fishing only soon after sunrise, and again about an hour before sunset; 

 though at times the whole flock will mount high in the air, and perform 

 extended gyrations in the manner of the Hooping Crane, Wood Ibis, and 

 Vultures. These movements are probably performed for the purpose of 

 assisting their digestion, and of airing themselves, in the higher and cooler 

 regions of the atmosphere. Whilst on the ground, they at times spread 

 their wings to the breeze, or to the rays of the sun; but this act is much 

 more rarely performed by them than by the Brown Pelicans. When walk- 

 ing, they seem exceedingly awkward, and like many cowardly individuals 

 of our own species, are apt to snap at objects which they appear to know 

 perfectly to be so far superior to them as to disdain taking notice of them. 

 Their usual manner of flight is precisely similar to that of our Brown spe- 

 cies. It is said by authors that the White Pelican can alight on trees; but I 

 have never seen a single instance of its doing so. I am of opinion that the 

 ridge projecting from the upper mandible increases in size as the bird grows 

 older, and that it uses that apparatus as a means of defence or of attack, when 

 engaged with its rivals in the love-season. 



The number of small fishes destroyed by a single bird of this species may 

 appear to you, as it did to me, quite extraordinary. While I was at General 

 Hjerxandez's plantation in East Florida, one of them chanced to pass close 

 over the house of my generous host, and was brought dead to the ground. It 

 was not a mature bird, but apparently about eighteen months old. On open- 

 ing it, we found in its stomach several hundreds of fishes, of the size of what 

 are usually called minnows. Among the many which I have at different 

 times examined, I never found one containing fishes as large as those com- 

 monly swallowed by the Brown species, which, in my opinion, is more likely 

 to secure a large fish by plunging upon it from on wing, than a bird which 

 must swim after its prey. 



This beautiful species, — for, reader, it is truly beautiful, and you would 

 say so were you to pick it up in all the natural cleanness of its plumage, 

 from the surface of the water, — carries its crest broadly expanded, as if 

 divided into two parts from the centre of the head. The brightness of its 

 eyes seemed to me to rival that of the purest diamond; and in the love- 

 season, or the spring of the year, the orange-red colour of its legs and feet, 

 as well as of the pouch and bill, is wonderfully enriched, being as represent- 

 ed in my plate, while during the autumnal months these parts are pale. Its 

 flesh is rank, fishy, and nauseous, and therefore cmite unfit for food, unless in 

 cases of extreme necessity. The idea that these birds are easily caught when 



Vol. VII. 4 



