Chap. 66.] 
THE PELICAN. 
527 
taught, and among land animals the mouse ; while on the other 
hand, the elephant does what it is ordered, the lion submits to 
the yoke, and the sea-calf and many kinds of fishes are ca- 
pable of being tamed. 
CHAP. 63. (46.) — THE MODE OF DRINKING WITH BIEDS. THE 
POEPHYHIO. 
Eirds drink by suction ; those which have a long neck taking 
their drink in a succession of draughts, and throwing the head 
back, as though they were pouring the water down the 
throat. The porphyrio^^ is the only bird that seems to bite at 
the water as it drinks. The same bird has also other pecu- 
liarities of its own ; for it will every now and then dip its food 
in the water, and then lift it with its foot to its bill, using 
it as a hand. Those that are the most esteemed are found in 
Commagene. They have beaks and very long legs, of a red 
colour. 
CHAP. 64. (47.) THE H^MATOPOTJS. 
There are the same characteristics in the haematopous®* also, 
a bird of much smaller size, although standing as high on the 
legs. It is a native of Egypt, and has three toes on each foot ; 
flies forming its principal food. If brought to Italy, it sur- 
vives for a few days only. 
CHAP. 65. THE POOD OP BIRDS. 
All the heavy birds are frugivorous ; while those with a 
higher flight feed upon flesh only. Among the aquatic birds, 
the divers are in the habit of devouring what the other birds 
have disgorged. 
CHAP. 66. THE PELICAN. 
The pelican is similar in appearance to the swan, and it 
would be thought that there was no difference between them 
^3 The Fulica porphyrio of Linnaeus, the Poule sultane of Buffon. 
^ Literally, " the blood-red foot." Cuvier says that this description may 
apply to the sea-pie or oyster -eater, the Hsematopus ostralegus of Linnaeus, 
or else the long-legged plover, the Charadrius himantopus of Linnaeus, 
but most probably the latter, more especially if the reading here is " hi- 
mantopus," as some editions have it. 
85 " Muscae," "flies," is a mistake of the copyists, Cuvier thinks, for 
" musculi," " mussels." 
More especially the Larus parasiticus, Cuvier says. 
