The Pelican1 affords an excellent illustration of the fifth and last Order of Birds, the Swimmers; the essential character of which consists in the membranous2 union of the toes, which renders them what is usually termed web-footed, and enables them to propel themselves upon the surface of the water with greater or less rapidity in proportion to the greater or less comparative extent of the membrane3 in which their toes are enveloped4. They are all consequently inhabitants of marshy5 situations, of the banks of rivers and lakes, or of the seacoast; and most of them seek their subsistence in their most congenial element, the water, notwithstanding that by far[228] the greater number of them are also endowed with very considerable powers of flight.
Linn?us united under the common title of Pelicans6, the Cormorants7, the Boobies, and several other birds, which differ from the typical species of the genus by many important characters, the chief point of agreement between them consisting in the form and extent of the membrane which unites the toes. The Linnean group has subsequently been raised to the rank of a family, and its component8 parts form several distinct genera, that which comprehends the true Pelicans, the genus Onocrotalus of Brisson, being characterized as follows. Their bill is of very great length, straight, broad, flattened9 above, and terminated by a slight hook; the lower mandible consists of two lateral10 branches, united at the point, and having interposed between them a membranous pouch11 capable of very great dilatation; their four toes are all enveloped to the very apex12 in the common membrane; their legs are short, strong, and maintain the body in a state of equilibrium13, their lower part being entirely14 destitute15 of feathers.
With the exception of the quill-feathers of the wings, which are black, the plumage of the Pelican in the Tower is throughout of an extremely light and delicate flesh-colour, varied16 only by occasional darker tinges18. The head and upper part of the neck are clothed with a short down, except on the temples, which are naked and flesh-coloured; the upper mandible is of a dull yellow in the middle, with a reddish tinge17 towards the edges, and a blood-red spot on its curved extremity19; and the pouch is of a bright straw-colour.
The Pelican is one of the largest water-birds, considerably[229] exceeding the size of the swan, and frequently measuring from five to six feet between the extremity of the bill and that of the tail, and from ten to twelve between the tips of the expanded wings. Its bill is nearly a foot and a half in length, and from an inch and a half to two inches broad; and its pouch is capable of containing, when stretched to its utmost extent, two or three gallons of water. The quantity of fish which it sometimes accumulates in the same serviceable repository is spoken of as enormous. Notwithstanding their great bulk and apparent clumsiness, the large extent of their wings, and the extreme lightness of their bones, which are so thin as to be almost transparent20, enable these birds to rise to a lofty pitch in the air, to hover21 at a moderate elevation22, or to skim rapidly along the surface of the water with as much facility as they dive into its depths in pursuit of their prey23. They sometimes assemble in large numbers, and in this case are said by Buffon to act in concert, and to show no little skill in man?uvring with the view of securing a plentiful24 quarry25, forming themselves into a circular line, and gradually narrowing the extent of the space enclosed, until they have driven the fishes into so small a compass as to render them a certain prey; when at a given signal they all at once plunge26 into the water and seize upon their terrified victims, filling their pouches27 with the spoil, and flying to the land, there to devour28 it at their leisure. This fishery is carried on both at sea and in fresh water.
They are found in nearly every part of the globe, but are of rare occurrence in the north of Europe. The beautiful pair figured at the head of this article are said to be from Hungary. The female is now sitting upon[230] three eggs, and has built herself a very perfect nest for the purpose. Should these be brought to maturity29, as there is every reason to expect, they will probably be the first that were ever hatched in England. She never quits her charge; but is fed by the male, who crams30 his pouch with double his usual allowance, and then proceeds to shovel31 her fair share into his partner’s throat. It is in this manner also that the young are fed, the old bird pressing his full pouch against his chest, and contriving32 thus to disgorge a portion of its contents; an action which has no doubt given rise to the fabulous33 notion of the Pelican’s feeding its young with its own blood. In fact, the appearance of the bird when in this attitude, with the bloody34 spot on the end of its bill closely pressed against the delicate plumage of its breast, may readily account for the prevalence of such an idea in the minds of superficial observers. The first traces of this fable35 are to be found in the writings of some of the early fathers of the church, and it was eagerly adopted by the heralds36 of later days, whose unbounded credulity was ever on the watch for the marvellous, in natural history more especially.
Our birds are commonly allowed three dozen of small live plaice each per day.
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1
pelican
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| n.鹈鹕，伽蓝鸟 | |
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membranous
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| adj.膜的，膜状的 | |
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membrane
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| n.薄膜，膜皮，羊皮纸 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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pelicans
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| n.鹈鹕( pelican的名词复数 ) | |
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cormorants
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| 鸬鹚，贪婪的人( cormorant的名词复数 ) | |
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component
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| n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的 | |
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flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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lateral
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| adj.侧面的，旁边的 | |
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pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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apex
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| n.顶点，最高点 | |
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equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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tinges
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| n.细微的色彩，一丝痕迹( tinge的名词复数 ) | |
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extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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hover
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| vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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pouches
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| n.（放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的）小袋( pouch的名词复数 )；（袋鼠等的）育儿袋；邮袋；（某些动物贮存食物的）颊袋 | |
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devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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crams
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| v.塞入( cram的第三人称单数 )；填塞；塞满；（为考试而）死记硬背功课 | |
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shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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contriving
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| （不顾困难地）促成某事( contrive的现在分词 )； 巧妙地策划，精巧地制造（如机器）； 设法做到 | |
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fabulous
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| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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fable
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| n.寓言；童话；神话 | |
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heralds
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| n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要） | |
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