556 
PELICAN. 
their pouches with their prey, then incline their 
bills to empty the bag of the water, after which 
they swim to shore to devour and digest their 
booty in quiet. We can readily suppose that these 
birds must destroy an immense quantity of fish, 
when we are assured that a single pouch is capable 
of containing a dozen quarts of water. The French, 
therefore, have not unaptly named them grand- 
goziers, or great-throats. 
