LECTURE VI. 243 



guished by a loose dilatable skin beneath the lower 

 mandible, and by widely w'ebbed-feet, with four 

 toes all turned forwards. The great or common 

 white Pelican is a native of many parts of the old 

 Continent, and is of the size of a Swan, with an 

 enormous pouch under the bill, capable of con- 

 taining a vast quantity of fish, on which the bird 

 chiefly preys, as well as of w^ater, which it is said 

 occasionally to carry to its mate while engaged in 

 incubation. 



The Corvorant is a species of Pelican, though 



the sac or membrane under the bill is but of slight 



extent in this bird. The Corvorant is a native of 



England, and though a web-footed bird is often 



observed to sit or rest in trees : it builds on high 



rocky cliffs. It has been sometimes tamed and 



used for fishing, by putting a brass collar round 



its neck, &c. The Chinese employ a different 



species for this purpose, which is described and 



figured in Sir G. Staunton's Embassy to China. 



It is very nearly allied to the Corvorant, but is of 



a brown colour above, and whitish with brown 



spots beneath. According to Sir G. Staunton's 



account, these birds are carried in boats by their 



proprietors on the "ivers, and are so well trained 



