722 
SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — STEGANOPODES. 
from the crop. As Audubon remarks, it is doubtful whether a pelican could fly at all with its 
burden so out of trim. 
The gular pouch varies in size with the different species, reaching its greatest development 
in the brown pelican, where it extends half-way down the neck in front, is a foot deep when 
distended, and will hold a gallon. Besides this singular adjunct, the bill of our white pelican 
has another curious structure, not found in other species. The culmen is surmounted near the 
middle by a high thin upright comb or crest, the use of which is not known. It is found 
during the breeding season alone, being shed and renewed in a manner analogous to the casting 
of deer's horns. Its structure explains how this can be : The crest-like excrescence on the 
ridge of the upper mandible is not formed of bone, nor otherwise connected with the osseous 
surface, which is smooth and continuous beneath it, than by being placed upon it, like any 
other part of the skin ; and when softened by immersion in a liquid may be bent a little to 
either side. It is composed internally of erect slender plates of a fibrous texture, externally of 
horny fibres, which are erect on the sides, and longitudinal on the broadened ridge ; these fibres 
being continuous with the cutis and cuticle." 
Pelicans are found in most temperate and tropical countries, both coastwise and inland ; 
they are gregarious birds at all times, and gather in immense troops to breed. A large rude 
nest is prepared on the ground, or built of sticks in a low bush near the water ; the eggs appear 
to be one to three, plain dull whitish, with a thick roughened shell. The gait of these cum- 
bersome birds is awkward and constrained ; but their flight is easy, firm, and protracted, and 
they swim lightly and gracefully, buoyed up by the interior air-sacs. The sexes are alike ; the 
young different ; most species are white, with yellow or rosy hue at times, and a crest or length- 
ened feathers, at the breeding season ; while nearly every one of them has a peculiar contour 
of the feathering at the base of the bill, by which it may be known. There are only six un- 
questionable species, although some authors admit eight or nine. The four exotic ones are : 
P. onocrotalus of Europe, Asia, and Africa (including the P. minor and javanicus of authors), 
with the frontal feathers extending in a point on the culmen ; P. cris]}us of the same countries, 
the largest of the genus, and P. rufescens (with philippinus) of various parts of the Old World, 
in both of which the frontal outline is concave on the base of the culmen ; and finally, the 
Australian P. conspicillatus, in which a strip of feathers cuts oft* the naked circumocular region 
from the base of the bill. This is an entirely peculiar feature ; and our white pelican shows 
another, having the sides of the under mandible feathered at base for a short distance. 
302. PELECA'NUS. (Or. pelecanus, a pelican.) Pelican. Character as above. 
748. P. trachyrhyn'chus. (Gr. rpaxvs, trachus, rough ; pvyxos, hrugchos, beak. Fig. 501.) 
American White Pelican. Adult ^ 9 : Plumage white, with black primaries, their coverts, 
alula, and many of the secondaries, the shafts of the quills white. Lengthened feathers of occiput 
and breast, and some of the lesser wing-coverts, pale straw-yellow. Tail-feathers said to be 
rosy at times ; and a dark spot to appear on the occiput after the breeding season. Iris pearly 
white, at times or in young, brown or dusky. Bill and feet ordinarily yellow ; much reddened 
in the breeding season, when the general tone of the bill is reddish salmon color, the under 
mandible brighter than the upper, which has the ridge whitish ; pouch passing from livid 
whitish anteriorly through yellow and orange to red at base ; bare skin about &ye orange ; eye- 
lids red ; feet intense orange-red. Length 5 feet ; extent 8-9 feet 5 wing 2 feet or more ; bill 
a foot or more; fore-arm about 15 inches ; tail 6.00, 24-feathered ; tibia bare 1.00 ; tarsus 4.50 ; 
middle toe about 5.00. This magnificent bird ranges over temperate N. Am. at large, but 
irregularly ; rare, casual, or wanting in Middle and Eastern States and beyond ; S. Atlantic 
and Gulf States^ common ; and generally in the West abundant in suitable places, inland as 
well as coastwise, up to 61° N. at least. Breeds in colonies, sometimes of vast extent 3 nest 
merely a heap of earth ; egg single. 
749. P. fus'cus. (Lat. fuscus, broMm.) American Brown Pelican. Adult ^: Bill mottled 
