aMericAj^ pelican. 
The female drops her eggs, to the number 
of four or five, on the bare ground ; and, in 
that situation, they continue till hatched. She 
patiently suffers them to be taken away; only- 
just venturing to peck, or to cry, when dis- 
turbed, as if actuated more by personal fear, 
than parental affe6lion. That she feeds her 
young, however, for some time, w^ith mace- 
rated fish, was ascertained by Father Labat ; 
who, having taken two Pelicans very young, 
tied them by their legs to a post stuck in the 
ground, where he had the pleasure of seeing 
the old one come to feed them. She remained 
wdth them the greatest part of the day, and 
spent her nights on the branch of a tree which 
overshadowed them. Thus all three became 
so tame, that they suffered themselves to be 
handled ; and the young ones very readily ac- 
cepted whatever fish were presented, always 
first putting them into their bags, and then 
swallowing them at leisure. 
Father Raymond assures us, that he has 
seen a Pelican, in South America, so tame, 
and well educated, that it would go ofi-' in the 
morning, at the word of command, and return 
to 
