PELICAN. 



409 



own collection, had the elevated part of the bill injured in many 

 places, but sufficient to shew the original state. A third in the 

 British Museum, has the ridged part reduced to a mere fibrous tuft, 

 the rest having been beaten off; hence we may conclude, that Nature 

 has intended this additional ridge for defence; and as it is full as 

 hard in texture as the rest of the bill, nothing but repeated and 

 violent blows could have occasioned the breaches made in my speci- 

 men, and especially the total destruction of shape seen in that of 

 the British Museum. 



12— SAW-BILLED PELICAN. 



Pelecanus Thagus, hid. Orn. ii. 884. Gm. Lin. i. 577. Molin. Chil. 212. Id. Fr. 



Ed. 220. 

 Onocrotalus vostro denticulato, Bris. vi. 523. A. Id. 8vo. ii. 499. 



Mexicanus dentatus, Alcatraz, Rail, 122. Hern. Mex. t. p. 672. 



Pelican a bee dentele, Biif. viii. 309. 

 Saw-billed Pelican, Gen. Syn. vi. 579. A. 



SIZE of a Turkey. The bill one foot long, a little bent at the 

 point, and indented like a saw on the edges ; the neck one foot long, 

 and the bird, when erect, stands twenty-two inches high ; extent of 

 wing nine feet; the tail short, and rounded ; and the general colour 

 of the plumage brown. 



This is said to inhabit Chili, and to be a solitary species; that the 

 natives make great use of the membrane, or throat bag, for tobacco 

 pouches ; and when stretched and dried becomes so transparent, as 

 to serve for lanterns, &c. The quills, too, are thought preferable to 

 those of any other bird for writing pens. It usually frequents rocks 

 near the sea, and lays generally five eggs. The Spaniards call it 

 Alcatraz, by which name the Philippine Species is also called. As 

 to the bill being serrated on the edges, we must rely solely on 

 Molina ; for although the older authors have said as much, and had 



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