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DALMATIAN PELICAN,
Pelecanus crispus, Feld.

A srrp of such striking magnitude as the present having so long escaped observation even on the shores

of Europe, what may we not expect from those more distant countries to which tl
naturalist has seldom penetrated ? Although this spe
within the last few years only, it has doubtless

 

1e scrutinizing eye of the
cies has been introduced to the notice of the scientific

long abounded where it is now found. The specimen from
which our figure is taken was sent us by Baron de Feldegg, and was one of twenty-four killed by him on
the shores of Dalmatia.

 

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In the letter which accompanied this specimen the Baron thus writes: «The first example of this bird that

nt to the Imperial Cabinet
ith this species in Abyssinia, where,
gentlemen procured only a single specimen. In the
the name of Pelecanus crispus. Many ornithologists are of
opinion that there is only one species of Pelican in Kurope, for which re
name of onocrotalus, and they observe that the

came under my notice was shot by myself in the year 1828 in Dalmatia, and was se
2 | in Vienna. ‘Two years after this, Messrs. Riippell and Kittlitz met w
however, it would appear to be very scarce, as those

year 1832 T published a description of it under

ason they have given it the specific
size which the bird attains is regulated by the te
the climate in which it resides. I possess examples of the true Pe
at the Cape of Good Hope, which in all the

mperature of
lecanus onocrotalus taken in Europe and
more important points closely resemble each other; the tarsi,
aked spaces round the eyes are of the same extent, while, on the
contrary, one shot in Moldavia was much smaller. The Pelecanus crispus has undoubtedly escaped notice in
consequence of no other naturalist having seen both species together as I have in Dalmatia, where it

307

for instance, are of equal length, and the n

Or)

arrives
in spring and autumn, and where it gives preference to the neighbourhood of Fort Opus on the river Naranta,
which is bordered with morasses. It comes through Bosnia, seldom alone, but generally in flocks ; I have
seen as many as twelve together hunting for fish: it is very cunning, and is extremely difficult to shoot. I
obtained, at different times, as many as twenty-four examples.”

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The Pelecanus crispus differs from the Common Pelican in possessing a beautiful crest and mane of narrow,

‘| elongated, silky feathers ; in the naked space around the eye being smaller; in the feathers of the breast being
, i stiff, lanceolate, rounded at the points, and of a firm elastic texture ; in the body being more bulky and larger
i, in all its proportions ; and in the tarsi being stouter, of a different colour, and considerably shorter. “At all
fa seasons of the year old birds may be found both with and without the crest. I saw a specimen in M. Aker’s

menagerie which had. always had it, while a bird of the same species in another menagerie had none; in all

 

 

 

other respects they were the same, and were very healthy ; and I possess a female in which the ovaries were
largely developed, and which has a large crest covering the whole of the head, which circumstance induces me
to conclude that it is a very old bird.”

Of its habits, manners, mode of nidification, &c. no details have been ascertained, but we nay reasonably
Suppose that in all these particulars it closely resembles the other members of its family. o

“ Naked space round the eyes reddish, towards the bill bluish ; cn mandible grey, passing into blue
and red; gular pouch or sack under the bill blood red intermingled with bluish ; tet bluish grey; head
furnished with a crest and thickly covered with feathers, which, with the whole of the upper and under

,

| surface, are silvery white ;” the tail is composed of twenty-two featliers, the shafts of which, vath those of the
scapularies and secondary wing-coverts, are black ; prtieniee blackish brown; lies tinged with pale yellow.
The young, which are very seldom seen, are wholly brownish grey, the feathers being much finer and closer
in texture and more silky in appearance than in the adults.
We cannot close our account of this splendid bird, one of the noblest of its ee without offering our
warmest thanks to our esteemed friend the Baron de Feldegg for the very fine specimen of this bird he so

ig 30 for ery interesting ¢ unication transmitted with it, from which are ex-
obligingly sent us, as also for the very interesting communice é :

-

tracted the paragraphs in this paper included between inverted commas. _
7 r bird ¢ our f the natural size.
The Plate represents an adult and a young bird about one fourth o z

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