40 THE BROWN PELICAN. 



satisfied, they flew in a line across the channel, and landed on low banks 

 under the lee of the island, opposite our harbour. During all the time of 

 their fishing they were attended by a number of Black-headed Gulls, Larus 

 Mricilla, which followed all their movements, alighting on their heads, and 

 feeding as I have already described. These Gulls followed their purveyors 

 to the same low banks to spend the night. 



Notwithstanding all that has been said to the contrary by some European 

 writers, I feel perfectly satisfied that these Pelicans must make ample use of 

 some oily matter contained in the uropygial gland, as their plumage is 

 always dry in the midst of their continued plungings. On the 14th of the 

 same month, my party happened to shoot a good number of Brown Pelicans, 

 among which was one slightly wounded in the body. The sailors tied its 

 bill with a piece of rope-yarn, and placed it in the stern of the boat; but 

 while they were again charging their muskets, the bird recovered sufficiently 

 to take to its wings, clear the boat, and fly off. In such a condition it must 

 necessarily have perished of hunger. 



Pelecands fdscds, Bonap. Syn., p. 401. 



Brown Pelican, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 476. 



Brown Pelican, Pelecanus fuscus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 376; vol. v. p. 212. 



Adult, 52, 80. 



Very abundant and constantly resident from Texas along the shores east- 

 ward to North Carolina. Breeds on trees and also on the ground; eggs 

 three. 



Adult Male. 



Bill more than twice the length of the head, rather stout, straight, de- 

 pressed towards the end. Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight as 

 far as the unguis, the ridge broad and convex, separated from the side by a 

 groove on each side, broader and more convex at the base, narrowed and 

 flattened towards the unguis, which is curved, stout, convex above, sharp- 

 edged, acute; sides of the bill perpendicular at the base, narrowed towards 

 the middle, widened and approaching to horizontal towards the end; edges 

 sharp, with a broad furrowed groove beneath for the reception of those of 

 the lower mandible. Lower mandible with the angle extending to less than 

 half an inch from the tip, and filled by a bare membrane, the sides nearly 

 erect and convex, the edges sharp, the tip compressed, deflected, obtuse. 

 The membrane of the lower mandible extends down the fore neck in the 

 form of a wrinkled pouch. 



Head of moderate size, oblong; neck long, stout; body rather slender. 

 Feet short, stout, nearly central; tibia bare, its lower part covered all round 

 with small scales; tarsus short, stout, compressed, covered all round with 



