Order  VIII.  ANSERES. 
Family  II.  Pelecanid^e. 
The  third  Subfamily, 
PELECANINiE,  or  Pelecans, 
have  the  Bill  lengthened,  slender,  depressed  on  the  culmen,  the  sides  much  compressed,  and  the  tip 
hooked,  and  more  or  less  compressed ;  the  Nostrils  placed  in  the  lateral  grooves,  and  scarcely  visible  ; 
the  Wings  lengthened  and  pointed ;  the  Tail  rather  short,  and  generally  wedge-shaped  ;  the  Tarsi  short 
and  robust ;  the  Toes  lengthened,  with  the  outer  one  equalling  the  middle  one,  and  all  four  united 
together  by  a  membrane.  The  lower  mandible  and  throat  furnished  beneath  with  a  membranous  pouch, 
more  or  less  capable  of  extension. 
Sula.* 
Bill  longer  than  the  head,  robust,  straight,  broad  at  the  base ;  with  the  sides  compressed,  and  grooved 
towards  the  tip,  which  is  slightly  curved,  and  the  lateral  margins  obliquely  and  unequally  serrated ;  the 
nostrils  basal,  lateral,  linear,  placed  in  a  lateral  groove  and  almost  invisible.  Wings  long,  pointed,  and 
tuberculated,  with  the  first  two  quills  the  longest.  Tail  moderate  and  graduated.  Tarsi  short,  one 
third  shorter  than  the  outer  toe,  rounded  anteriorly  and  keeled  posteriorly.  Toes  lengthened,  the  outer 
and  middle  ones  nearly  equal,  and  all  four  connected  by  a  full  membrane ;  the  claws  moderate  and 
rather  flat,  with  that  of  the  middle  toe  serrated,  and  the  hind  claw  rudimental.  Beneath  the  base  of  the 
lower  mandible  is  a  naked  space,  reaching  towards  the  breast,  that  is  capable  of  expansion. 
The  birds  of  this  division  are  usually  found  in  immense  numbers  on  desert  and  rocky  islands  near  the  main  land, 
migrating,  in  parties  of  from  five  to  fifteen  individuals,  to  the  warmer  parts  on  the  approach  of  winter.  They  are1  rarely 
observed  on  the  surface  of  the  sea,  and  when  there  they  seem  only  to  float,  but  are  never  known  to  dive,  though 
furnished  with  strongly  webbed  feet.  They  are  almost  constantly  on  the  wing,  flying  with  a  powerful,  rapid,  and 
buoyant  flight,  which  can  be  supported  for  a  lengthened  period,  and  keeping  at  no  great  distance  from  the  shore,  even 
during  their  migrations.  Their  food  consists  principally  of  those  fishes  which  usually  swim  near  the  surface,  upon 
which  they  dart  from  a  great  height,  headlong  into  the  sea,  making  the  water  foam  and  swell  with  the  violence  of  the 
concussion.  The  fish  is  swallowed  head  foremost,  and  the  gullet  is  capable  of  expanding  sufficiently  to  allow  the  passage 
of  the  largest  herring.  The  nest  is  composed  of  masses  of  sea  weeds  and  other  materials,  which  the  birds  select  on  the 
rocky  cliffs.    The  female  deposits  one  large  egg. 
1.  S.  bassana  (Linn.)  Briss.  PI.  enl.  278.  986. —  Pelecanus 
maculatus  Gmel.  ;  P.  punctatus  Sparr.  ;  Sula  alba  Temm. 
2.  S.  capmsis  Licht.  —  Sula  inelanura  Temm. 
3.  ?  S.  dactylatra  Less.  Zool.  de  la  Coqu.  ii.  p.  494. 
4.  S.  piscator  (Linn.) — Sula  Candida  Steph.;  S.  erythrorhyncha 
Less.  ;  S.  rubripes  Gould. 
5.  S.  cyanops  Sunder.  Isis,  1842.858.  —  Sula  australis  Gould; 
Pelecanus  serrator  Banks,  Icon.  ined.  30.,  Forst.  Icon.  ined.  107- 
6.  ?  S.  fiber  (Linn.). 
7.  S.fusca  Vieill.  Gal.  des  Ois.  t.  277- — Pelecanus  Sula  Linn. 
Catesb.  Car.  pi.  87-  ;  Sula  brasiliensis  Spi.r,  Av.  Bras.  t.  107. ;  Sula 
australis  Steph, 
8.  ?  S.  parva  (Gmel.)  PI.  enl.  973. 
9.  S.  plotus  Forst.  Desc.  Anim.  p.  278.  et  Icon.  ined.  108. 
10.  S.  variegata  Tschudi,  Wiegm.  Archiv.  1843.  1.  390. 
11.  ?  S.  leucopha'a  Steph.  Gen.  Zool.  xiii.  106. 
*  Established  by  Brisson  (Ornithologie)  in  176*0.  In  1811,  Illiger  changed  it  to  Dysporus ;  and,  in  1 81(3,  Vieillot  used  Morus,  and 
Leach  Moris.    These  are  coequal  with  the  name  employed. 
