PEL 
by RondelctluSj and fome other ichthyologlfts, to 
the fifh more diilinftly known by that of amia. 
PELECANUS. A name by which fome or- 
nithologifts exprefs the platea, or fpoon-bill; a 
bird very different from the pelican, being of the 
ftork or heron kind. 
PELICAN. In the Linnasan diftribution of 
nature, a diftinft genus of birds of the order of an- 
feres; the charafteriftic of which is a ftraight beak, 
with a hooked point, and furnifhed with a large 
bag or purfe beneath. There are eight fpecies. 
Pelican, African ; the Pelecanus Onocrota- 
lus of Linnaeus. This fpecies is confiderably 
larger than the fwan, and nearly of the fame fliape 
and colour. It's four toes are all webbed toge- 
ther; and it's neck in fome meafure refembles that 
of a fwan. But, in the peculiarity of it's bill, 
and the great pouch underneath, it differs from 
all other birds. This enormous and wonderful 
bill is fifteen inches long from the point to the 
opening of the mouth, which is placed a confi- 
derable way behind the eyes. At it's bafe, the 
bill is fomewhat greenifh; but varies, towards 
it's extremity, to a reddifh blue: it is very thick 
at the beginning, but tapers off to the end, where 
it hooks downwards. The under-chap is ftill 
more extraordinary ; for to it's lower edges is fuf- 
pended a bag, reaching the whole length of the 
bill to the neck, which is faid to be capable of 
containing fifteen quarts of water. This bag the 
bird pofTeffes the faculty of wrinkling up into the 
hollow of the under chap; but by opening the 
bill, and putting any thing down into the bag, it 
may be diflended at pleafure : the fkin of which 
it is formed will then appear of a blueifh afh- 
colour, with many fibres and veins running over 
it's furface. It is covered with a fhort downy 
fubflance, as fmooth and fbft as fattin; and is at- 
tached all along the under edges of the chap, to 
be fixed backwards to the neck of the bird by 
proper ligaments; and reaches near halfway down. 
When this bag is empty, it is fcarcely percepti- 
ble; but when the bird has been fuccefsful in fifh- 
ing, it is incredible to what an extent it is then 
dilated: for the firft thing the Pelican wifhes to 
effect in fifhing, is to replenifli the bag; and then 
it returns to digeft it's burden at leifure. When 
the bill is opened to it's wideft extent, a perfon 
may run his head into the bird's mouth, and con- 
ceal it with the greatefl eafe. Yet this is nothing 
to what Ruyfch afTerts, namely, that a man has 
been feen to hide his whole leg, boot and all, in 
the monftrous jaws of one of thefe birds. At firfl 
fight, this might feem impofTible, as the fides of 
the under-chap, from which the bag depends, are 
not above one inch afunder when the bill of the 
Pelican is firfl opened: but then they are capable 
of great feparation; and it mufl neceffarily be lb, 
as this creature preys on the largeft fifhes, and 
hides them by dozens in it's pouch. Tertre af- 
firms, that it is capable of concealing as many 
fifh as will fuffice fix hungry men for a meal. 
Such is the formation of this extraordinary 
bird, which was once known in Europe, particu- 
larly in RufTia; but feems now to have deferted 
our coafls: and fuch is the bird of which fo many 
fabulous accounts have been propagated; fome of 
which were, that it fed it's young with it's own 
blood, and carried in it's great refervoir aflockof 
water for them when in the defarts. But the ab- 
furdity of the firft relation is felf-evident; and as 
to the lad, the Pelican ufes it's bag for a very dif- 
PEL 
ferent purpofe than that of filling it with water. 
It's prodigious pouch may be confidered as ana- 
logous to the crop in other birds; v^^ith this diffe- 
rence, that as theirs lies at the bottom of the gul- 
let, this is placed at the top. Thus, as pig'eons 
and other birds macerate food for their young in 
their crops, and then fupply them; fo the Pelican 
furnifhes it's brood with provifions by a more 
ready contrivance, macerating themi with it's bill, 
or floring them for it's own particular fupport. 
The ancients appear to have been carried away 
by a defire of afcribing admirable qualities and 
parental affeftions to this bird. Struck, perhaps, 
with it's extraordinary figure, they were willing 
to fupply it with as many extraordinary appe- 
tites ; and having found it poffeffed of a large re- 
fervoir, they amufed themfelves with turning it to 
the moft tender and parental ufes. But the fade 
is ; Pelicans are very heavy, fluggifh, voracious 
birds; and very ill fitted to take thofe flights, or 
make thofe prudent provifions for a diflant time, 
which they have commonly been fuppofed to do. 
Labat, who feems to have ftudied their manners 
with great exadlnefs, has given a very minute hif- 
tory of this bird. 
* The Pelican,' fays this author, * has ftrong 
wings, furnifhed with thick plumage; the eyes 
are fmall when compared to the magnitude of it's 
head; there is a fadnefs in it's countenance, and 
it's whole air is expreffive of melancholy. It is 
as dull and relu6tant in it's motions as the fla- 
mingo is aflive and fprightly: it is flow of flight; 
and, when it rifes on the wing, it performs it with 
difficulty and labour. Nothing, as it would 
feem, but the fpur of neceffity, could make thefe 
birds change their fituation, or induce them to 
afcend the air: indeed, they are torpid and inac- 
tive to a great degree, fo that nothing can exceed 
their indolence but their gluttony; it is only from 
the ftimulations of hunger that they are excited 
to labour, for otherwife they would continue al- 
ways in fixed repofe. When they have raifed 
themfelves about thirty or forty feet above the 
furface of the fea, they turn their heads, with one 
of their eyes, downwards, and continue to fly in 
that pofture. As foon as they perceive a fifh fuf- 
ficiently near the furface, they dart down on ic 
with amazing fwiftnefs, and with unerring cer- 
tainty, and ftore it up in their pouch : they then 
rife again, though not without great labour; and 
continue hovering and fifhing, with their heads 
on one fide, as before. 
' This work they prolong with great effort and 
induftry till their bag is full ; and then they fly to 
land, to devour and digeil at leifure the fruits of 
their induflry: this, however, it would appear, 
they foon effed ; for towards night, they have ano- 
ther hungry call, and they again reludantly return 
to labour. At night, when their fifhing is over, 
and the toil of the day crowned with fuccefs, thefe 
lazy birds retire a little way from the fhore ; and 
though they have the webbed feet and clumfy 
figure of a goofe, they will be fatisfied to perch 
no where but on trees, among the light and airy 
tenants of the forefl: there they repofe during 
the darknefs, and often fpend a great part of the 
day, except when they are engaged in fifhing, fit- 
ting in difmal fblemnity, and feemingly half 
afleep. Their attitude is, with the head refting 
on their great bag, and that reclining on the 
breaft: there they remain motionlefs, till the calls 
of hunger break their repofe, and they find it in- 
difpenfably 
