THE FKIGATE PELICAN. 
175 
towards the curved extremity, the edges irregularly jagged. Upper man* 
dible with the dorsal line slightly concave, at the tip decurved, its ridge 
broad and nearly flat at the base, narrowed and more convex towards the 
end, the sides separated from the ridge by a narrow groove, convex, the 
edges sharp and inflected, with a prominence at the commencement of the 
curve of the elongated compressed hooked point. Nostrils basal, linear, 
inconspicuous. Lower mandible with the angle extremely long, narrow, 
the membrane bare and dilatable into a small pouch, the very short dorsal 
line decurved, the sides erect at the base, convex in the rest of their extent, 
the edges sharp and much inflected, at the narrow tip decurved. 
Head of moderate size, oblong. Neck of moderate length, stout. Body 
rather slender. Feet very short, stout ; tibia very short ; tarsus extremely 
short, feathered ; toes all placed in the same plane, and connected by short 
reticulated webs with concave margins, but running narrow along the 
sides ; they are scutellate above, broad and papillate beneath ; first toe 
small, second shorter than fourth, third much longer than the latter. 
Claws strong, compressed, curved, acute, that of middle toe long, obliquely 
flattened, and pectinate on the inner edge. 
Eyelids and gular sac, with the interior part of the neck, bare. Plumage 
compact, on the head, neck, breast, and back, shining. The feathers of the 
head, neck, and back are lanceolate and acuminate ; of the breast and sides 
broader ; of the wings small and rounded. Wings extremely long, pointed, 
the first quill longest, the rest rapidly diminishing ; the secondaries very 
short, obliquely rounded and acuminate, the inner long and tapering. Tail 
very long, deeply forked, of twelve rounded feathers, the outer narrow and 
abruptly rounded. 
Bill light purplish-blue, white in the middle, the curved tips dusky. 
Inside of mouth carmine; gular sac orange. Bare space about the eye 
purplish-blue ; iris deep brown. Feet light carmine above, orange beneath. 
The general colour of the plumage is brownish-black, the head, neck, back, 
breast, and sides, splendent with green and purple reflections, the former 
predominating on the head, the latter on the back. The wings are tinged 
with grey, the inner secondaries and tail with brown ; the shafts of the 
former black, of the latter brown. 
I have observed in specimens which I considered to be very old, that the 
gular sac was covered with pustules, similar to those found at times around 
the base of the mandibles of the Cathartes Aura , and which appear to be 
the effects of disease, occasioned by their coming frequently in contact with 
putrid substances. 
Length to end of tail 41 inches, to end of wings 37, to end of claws 24f ; 
wing from flexure 25, tail 18; extent of wings 86; bill along the back 
