DALMATIAN PELICAN. 169 



sound, sometimes bordering on a giLint." Latliam says 

 that they will sometimes unite together in the form 

 of a circle, and beat the waters with their wings, so 

 as to frighten the fish, which consequently become an 

 easy prey. They breed on rocks near the water, 

 generally in places difficult to get at. They lay from two 

 to four eggs. They are very much attached to their 

 young; hence the old legend that they will feed them 

 with their own blood, which is however a mere fable, 

 arising from the fact that they feed them by disgorging 

 the contents of their pouches. Equally fabulous is the 

 story of their bringing water in their pouches into the 

 desert, to sustain the camel in his thirsty journey. 

 The Egyptians, however, call the Pelican the Camel 

 of the River, and the Persians the Water Carrier, 

 which has evidently arisen from their performing this 

 office for their young. 



The Pelican is said to attain to a great age. Gesner, 

 on the authority of Cullman, gives an instance of one 

 which lived eighty years. Its flesh is bad both to 

 taste and smell. 



I have selected the rarer of the two European species 

 to notice first, as I have, by the kindness of Mr. 

 Tristram, a fine specimen before me. 



The Dalmatian Pelican, equally with the White 

 Pelican, inhabits the east of Europe and north of 

 Africa, but it is also common in Hungary, Dalmatia, 

 Moldavia, the Crimea, Greece, and the Ionian Islands. 

 It is also found in Algeria, according to Captain 

 Loche and Mr. Tristram; and it ranges even to China, 

 as noted in the "Ibis," vol. ii, by Mr. Swinhoe. 



Of its occurrence in Greece we have the testimony 

 of several writers. Count Miihle, "Orn. Griech.," p. 

 133, says, — "It is very plentiful in Greece the whole 



