NATURAL HISTORY. 
157 
We (hall feledt a few of thofe moft worthy 
the notice of our readers, taking the pelican 
as the firft fubjeft for delcription. 
The PELICAN. 
RAVELLERS, and thofe who are fond 
of the marvellous, have related ftrange ac- 
counts of this bird. The tale refpefting the 
care of its young, has been fo generally re- 
ceived, as to be frequently adduced as an ex- 
ample for man to imitate. 
This bird is fo unwieldy, as to be only 
adapted for the water ; die beak, which is 
peculiarly uncommon, is about a foot long, 
and as thick as the lielliy part of a child’s 
arm, very (harp at the point, and of a blue 
and yellow colour ; iu other refpeils, it dif- 
fers very little from the fwan : the lower 
chap is made of two long flat ribs, with a 
rough membrane connected to both, in form 
of a bag, which, extending to the throat, 
holds a condderable quantity of food, which 
fupplies it in times of fcarcity. Feeding her 
young from this bag, has fo much the ap- 
pearance of feeding them with their own 
blood, that it caufed this fabulous opinion to 
be propagated, and made the pelican an em- 
blem of paternal, as the (lork had before 
been chofen, more juflly, of filial aifeftion 
O The ‘ 
