Place and
Manners.
iM f !
M S ' H i
The Brown Pelican is very common in many parts of the coafts
of America-, and no where more fo than in the Weft India IJlands,
Jamaica, Barbadoes, &c. Alfo in great plenty in the Bay of
Cam-peachy, and as low as Carthagena. In fummer found as far
north as Hudfon’s Bay. When filhing in the water is fufficiently
aftive ; but having filled the pouch, and retired to the rocks to
fill its belly, is obferved to be to a degree ftupid and fenfelefs,
remaining without motion for hours together, with the bill refting
on the bread, half afleeps when it is no uncommon thing'for a
perfon to deal upon one unawares, and feize it by the neck
without refiftance.
Whether this, or any other of the brown Pelicans, be merely the
young of the white, is not for us to determine : many authors aver
it, while others are doubtful or filent on the fubjeft. That the brown
ones are fmaller than the white is true j and that likewife fome
are feen of mixed colours, feeming to prove the change from one
colour to the other; and Sonnerat even goes farther, by fuppofing
that the white ones become rofe-coloured, when arrived at old age.
But however this matter may turn out, nothing but a long feries
of obfervations, made during a number of years, will determine
the point, it being a long-lived bird : on this account we diall not
dry fpecimen wanting alfo theJtovsers.— As to the vifcid and elaftic quality pof-
fefledby the above juice, we find it not peculiar to that alone, fince we learn
that the juices of lèverai other trees* poffefs the fame, and whereby, ufed as
birdlime, the natives are enabled to entangle and fecure Peacocks and other
large birds.
* Cecropta Peltata.— Ficus Indies Sc religiofa.—Lin,-
vol. ii. p, 671, of this work.
-Sec Phil, TranJ. vol. lxxi, p. 376. and
hefitate
hefitate to continue here as fpecies, thofe mentioned as fuch by
former authors, till new and fufficient lights fhall have enabled
future writers to unite them with confidence.
Le Pelican brun de l’lfle de Luyon, Son. Voy. p. 91. t. 53.
p t * H IS is exactly like the rofe-coloured Pelican, except in the
plumage being wholly of a brown-colour.
Inhabits Manilla with the above-mentioned. Mr. Sonnerat
fufpedts both thefe to be the fame, but the one here deferibed not
yet come to full age, as is the cafe in the Flamingo, Scarlet Ibis,
and fome others. Both thefe make the neft on the ground, and
feem very unwieldy while on land yet at times fly very high.
Their flefh is rank and bad.
MANILLA P,
D e s c r i p t i o n *
Place a m
Manners,
Le Pelican des Philippines, Brif. On. vi. p. 527. 3. pi. 46. j .
PHILIPPINE P.
H IS is nearly four feet and a quarter in length. The bill D escription.
fourteen inches long, the colour reddifh white, with a few
fpots of brown on the fides of the upper mandible: the bare fpace
round the eyes of the colour o f the bill: the pouch very pale :
the head and neck are whitilh : from the hind head to the back
is a firipe of feathers fomewhat longer than the reft, mixed white
and brown ; thofe of the hind head ftill longer, lb as to form a
creft; the feathers of all thefe parts very foft and filky : the upper
part of the back and..fcapulars cinereous grey: the lower
part of the neck, the breaft, and under parts, the lower part
of the back, and rump, white: the wing coverts cinereous
grey»