CHARLESTOWN PELICAN, 



115 



where it was kept tame for a long time : it was very- 

 voracious, and an experiment was made to ascertain 

 what quantity of fish it would take into its beak : it 

 first attempted to take up one (amongst several which 

 were placed before it) of ten pounds, but the beak was 

 not strong enough to raise it from the ground : it 

 then picked up as far as ten of the others, each weigh- 

 ing a pound, and stored them carefully in the bag, 

 arranging them alongside each other, with the heads 

 towards the throat : and after this trudged off very 

 stutely, with the bag hanging down to his feet." 



CHARLESTOWN PELICAN. 



(Pelecanus Carol inensis.) 



Pe. supra ohscurus, subtus albus. 

 Pelican above obscure, beneath white. 



Pelecanus Carolinensis. Gmel. Sijst. Nat. 1. 571. Lath, Ind. 

 Orn. 2. 884. 



, Charlestown Pelican. Penn. Arct. Zool. 2. 507. Lath. Gen. 

 Syn. 6. 585. Lath. Gen. Hist. x. 406. 



Size of a Canada Goose ; colour of the plumage 

 dusky above ; white on the breast and belly ; with a 

 pouch capable of holding several gallons of liquids. 

 They abound in the bay of Charlestown, in America. 

 Latham mentions the following varieties : One in 

 length four feet : beak thirteen inches long, and 

 differing from other Pelicans in having that part of 

 the upper mandible which is next the base almost 



