PELICAN. 411 



from seven to eight; the legs are small, all the toes webbed together, 

 and the webs deeply indented ;* colour of them dusky red, in some 

 black. The female wants the membranaceous pouch under the chin, 

 and the belly is white ; in other things resembles the male. 



This birdt is chiefly, if not wholly, met with between the Tro- 

 pics ; always out at sea, being only seen on the wing. It is usual 

 with other birds, when fatigued with flying, to rest themselves on 

 the surface of the water; but from the exceeding length of wing, 

 the rising from thence is rendered impossible, as writers inform us, 

 and every one with whom we have talked on the subject, assures us 

 of the fact; though, perhaps, the bird scarcely seems to require rest, 

 for if we may judge from its apparently easy gliding motion (much 

 like that of the Kite) it would seem capable of sustaining very long 

 flights; as it is often seen above 100, and not ^infrequently 200 J 

 leagues from land. It has, indeed, been known to settle on the 

 masts of ships, but this is not a frequent circumstance ; though it 

 will often approach near, and hover about the top mast flag;§ 

 sometimes it soars so high in the air as to be scarcely visible, yet at 

 other times approaches the surface of the sea ; and on spying a fish, 

 darts down with the utmost rapidity, and seldom without success, 

 flying upwards again as quick as it descended ; || will also attack 

 Gulls and other birds which have caught a fish, which it obliges 

 them to disgorge, and will generally seize it before it falls into the 

 water. Is an enemy to the flying fish ; for, on their being attacked 

 beneath by the dolphin, and other voracious fish, to escape their jaws 

 these semivolatiles leap out of the water in clusters, making use of 



* In the Planches enluminees the webs are not sufficiently expressed. The figure in 

 Brisson comes nearer the truth, the toes are webbed to the second joint. 



f Also called Tailleur, or Taylor, by the French, from the motion of the tail repre- 

 senting a pair of shears when opened ; and when on the wing it opens and shuts the tail 

 feathers frequently, in the manner of using that instrument. — Ulloa's Voy. ii. 304. 



X Forst. Voy. i. 47. Id. Obs. p. 212. as far as 400.— Pernetty. 



§ Cook's last Voy. i. p. 81. || Dam-pier. He observes, that they do not take 



their prey in the bill. 



G G G 2 



