NORTH AMERICA. 
H7 
cray fifh, whofe cells they probe, and with their 
ftrong pinching bills drag them out : all the three 
fpecies are efleemed excellent food. 
It is a pleafmg fight at times of high winds and 
heavy thunder ftorms, to obferve the numerous fqua- 
drons of thefe Spanifh curlews driving to and fro, 
turning and tacking about, high up in the air, when 
by their various evolutions in the different and op- 
pofite currents of the wind high in the clouds, their 
filvery white plumage gleams and fparkles like the 
brighter!: cryftal, reflecting the fun-beams that dart 
upon them between the dark clouds. 
Since I have turned my obfervadons upon the 
birds of this country, I mall notice another very 
lingular one, though already moft curioufly and 
exactly figured by Catefby, which feems to be 
nearly allied to thofe before mentioned ; I mean 
the bird which he calls the wood pelican*. This 
is a large bird, perhaps near three feet high when 
{landing erect. The bill is very long and ftrong, 
bending with a moderate curve from the bafe to 
the tip ; the upper mandible is the largeft, and re- 
ceives the edges of the nether one into its whole 
length ; the edges are very (harp and firm ; the 
whole of a dark afh or horn colour ; the forehead 
round the bafe of the beak and fides of the head is 
bare of feathers, and of a dark greenifh colour, 
in which fpace is placed the eyes, which are very 
large ; the remainder of the head and neck is of a 
nut brown colour ; the back of a light bluifh grey ; 
upper part of the wings, breaft, and belly, almoft 
white, with fome flight dafhes of grey ; the quill- 
feathers and tail, which are very fhort, are of a dark 
flate colour, almoft black ; the legs, which are very 
* Tantalus locuiator. Linn, 
L 2 long, 
