308 
PELECANIN^ PELECANUS. 
in vast numbers on trees. Ranges over the Gulf of Mexico, Bays of 
Texas, but rarely seen to the eastward of North Carolina, 
Tachypetes Aquilus, Bonap. Syn. p. 406. 
Frigate Pelican, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 491. 
Frigate Pelican, Tachypetes Aquilis, Aun. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 495 5 v. v. p. 634. 
GENUS IV. PELECANUS, Linn. PELICAN. 
Bill about thrice the length of the head, rather slender, 
almost straight, depressed ; upper mandible linear, depress- 
ed, convex at the bas|i, gradually flattened, and a little en- 
larged to near the end, when it narrows, and terminates in 
a hooked point ; ridge broad and convex at the base, gra- 
dually narrowed and flattened beyond the middle, separated 
by a groove from the sides, erect at the base, sloping to- 
ward the edges, edges very acute, with an internal groove ; 
lower mandible with the angle excessively long, extending 
to the unguis, the sides erect and convex, the edges thin 
and involute, the tip decurved. Nostrils basal, lateral, 
linear, concealed by the wrinkles of the skin. Head small, 
oblong ; neck long, stout ; bod}^ full, rather flattened. Feet 
short, and very stout ; tarsus short, compressed, covered all 
round with hexagonal scales ; toes in the same plane, all 
connected by webs, first shortest, fourth longer than third. 
Claws short, strong, curved, that of the third toe pectinate. 
Feathers of head and neck exceedingly small, slender, 
downy ; of the other parts generally lanceolate and acumi- 
nate ; wings very long, rather narrow, rounded ; primaries 
much curved. Tail short, broad, rounded, of more than 
sixteen feathers. An enormous bare, extensile, gular sac ; 
tongue extremely small, papilliform ; oesophagus excessively 
wide ; proventricular glands arranged in broad longitudinal 
series ; stomach very small, with its muscular coat thin, 
its epithelium smooth and soft ; a globular pyloric lobe ; in- 
testine long and narrow ; coeca very small, cylindrical ; 
cloaca globular. 
