Plumage very soft, blended, on the fore part of the head very short. Wings long, narrow, pointed; primaries rather narrow and tapering, first longest, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries short, broad, incurved, obliquely rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail of moderate length, much rounded, of twelve rounded feathers.
Bill greenish-olive above, yellow beneath, the point of both mandibles black. Eye hazel. Feet pale yellowish flesh-colour, claws black. All the upper parts shining deep brownish-olive, the head longitudinally streaked, the back transversely barred, with black. A line from the bill to the eye and beyond it white, another beneath it dusky. All the lower parts white, marked with numerous brownish-black spots, smaller on the throat, largest and roundish on the breast and sides. Axillary feathers pure white, lower wing-coverts white mottled with dusky. Quills brownish-black, glossed with green, the elongated inner secondaries like the back; the primaries slightly tipped with white, the secondaries, excepting the inner, more distinctly so, the white forming on them a conspicuous band. Four middle tail-feathers like the back, with a band of black at the end, the tip white; the next pair on each side similar, with the white tip larger; the next barred with dusky on the outer web; the lateral feather with the outer web white similarly barred.
Length to end of tail 8 inches, to end of wings 7 1/2, to end of claws 8 1/2; extent of wings 13 3/4; wing from flexure 4 7/8; tail 2; bill along the ridge 1; tarsus 10 1/2/12; hind toe and claw 4 1/4/12; middle toe and claw 1 1/12.
Female. Plate CCCX. Fig. 2.
There is hardly any difference between the sexes.
The young in winter have the bill black at the end, dusky olive above, yellow beneath; the feet yellowish flesh-colour. The lower parts are brownish-white, without spots; the upper of the same brownish-olive as in the adult, but the head and hind neck destitute of streaks, and the rest with narrower and more numerous dusky bars.
The tongue is 10 twelfths long, slender, tapering to a point, grooved above, sagittate and papillate at the base. The roof of the mouth with a single row of papillæ, posteriorly divided into two series. Œsophagus 3 inches and 8 twelfths long, its diameter 2 twelfths, and nearly uniform. Proventriculus 1/2 inch long, 3 1/2 twelfths in diameter. Stomach elliptical, 8 1/2 twelfths long, 6 1/2 twelfths in breadth; its lateral muscles strong, the tendinous spaces oblong; the cuticular lining with large longitudinal rugæ, and of a deep red colour. The contents of the stomach in this individual were remains of marine insects, and quartz sand. Intestine 10 inches long, its diameter varying from 1 1/2 twelfth to 1 twelfth; it enlarges near the rectum to 2 twelfths. Rectum 1 inch and 1 twelfth; cœca 1 inch and 1 twelfth, their diameter 3/4 of a twelfth.
The trachea is 2 inches and 8 twelfths long, its diameter from 2 twelfths to 1 twelfth; its rings 105, feeble and unossified. The lateral muscles extremely feeble; sterno-tracheals moderate; a single pair of inferior laryngeal muscles.
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN.
Pelecanus Americanus.
PLATE CCCXI. Adult Male.