The Brown Pelican is an American species, smaller than the preceding, and is described at some length by Nuttall. It has the head and the neck variegated with white and ash-colour; all the rest of the plumage of a brownish grey, with whitish marks on the back; the pouch is of an ashy blue, striped with a reddish hue. It is found in the Larger Antilles, on the coasts of Peru, in Bengal, and in South Carolina.
The Spectacled Pelican (Pelicanus conspicillatus).
The Spectacled Pelican, which is only found in southern climates, is thus named from the naked skin which surrounds the eye, reminding one of spectacles by its more or less circular form. Its plumage, like that of its congeners, is white.
CHAPTER III.
THE LARIDÆ.
"Notwithstanding the dissimilarity of the bill," says Mr. Vigors (Linn. Trans., vol. xiv.), "the Sterna and Rhynchops most intimately accord in habits and external characters. The Gull-billed Tern of Colonel Montagu conducts us from these genera to the groups which compose the Linnæan genus Larus—now divided into two genera, Lestris and Larus. From this group we are led to the genera Diomedeæ and Haladroma, by the absence of the hind toe, by means of the species Larus tridactylus (Latham), where, though the hind toe is not absolutely different, as might be inferred from its name, there appears but the rudiment of one. The last-mentioned genus, Haladroma, originally belonged to Procellaria, and was separated from it by its tridactyle foot. Even in this character, however, it forms a connection from Larus to the groups that compose the genuine Procellaria, all of which are distinguished by the singular peculiarity of having no true hind toe, but only a nail adhering to the tarsus in its place. We thus arrive at the Petrels, separated into groups of the Procellaria (Anet), Pachyptila (Ilf.), Puffucus (Ray)."
The Longipennes (Cuvier).
The Grands Voiliers, or Long-winged Birds, are thus named from their powerful and enduring faculty of flight. Mariners meet with them everywhere, and easily recognise them by their long and pointed wings, forked tails, and short legs. In this order the back toe is unconnected with the others, or is wanting, and the membrane which unites the others much notched; their bills are sharp and pointed, and without indentations. They pass their lives at a great distance from land, and do not approach the shore except for breeding purposes. To this sub-order belong the Sea Swallows (Sterna), Scissors-bills or Skimmers (Rynchops), the Sea Gulls (Laridæ), the Labbes (Stercoraria), the Petrels (Procellaria), Albatross (Diomedea).