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Show 26S MR. P. L. SCLATER ON THE PELICANS [May H. The plumage is brown above, below much paler; wings and tail brownish grey. 5. PELECANUS CONSPICILLATUS. The Australian Pelican was a desideratum in the Society's series until 1864, when one was obtained by purchase, which is still living in the Gardens. Two other specimens were presented shortly afterwards by the Acclimatization Society of Victoria, but have been lost. In this species there appears to be but little change in the breeding-season, except that the plumage becomes generally brighter and purer. 6. PELECANUS FUSCUS. (Plate XXV.) Of this species the Society received two specimens (both males, as subsequently ascertained by dissection) from their late Corresponding Member, Capt. Abbott, in 1854. These birds lived many years in the Gardens-one having died in the spring of 1867, and the other only a few weeks since. Every year, in the month of February, they put on the fine nuptial plumage shown in the sketch now exhibited (Pl. XXV., front figure). The back of the neck becomes of a deep rich coffee-brown, with a pure-white longitudinal stripe between it and the gular sac; the gular sac itself becomes darker, and the whole plumage brighter. Some time in August this plumage is put off, and the bird appears in the more sombre colour shown in the second sketch (Pl. XXV., hinder figures). These changes of plumage not having been well understood, I have thought it important that a record should be made of them. It appears to have been supposed by Audubon* and other writers on American ornithology that the white-necked plumage is peculiar to the female. Our observations show that, this is not the case, both our males having adopted it upon the termination of the breeding-season. Whether the females ever adopt the black and white neck and corresponding changes of plumage I cannot say, as we have not as yet possessed specimens of that sex. , 1 will now add a few remarks upon the species of Pelican that have not yet been exhibited in the Society's living series. These are, as far as I am acquainted with the group, four, namely two American (P. trachyrhynchus and P. molinee) and two Asiatic (P. javanicus and P. philippensis). P. javanicus, Horsfield-f, has the frontal feathers produced into an acute angle, as in P. onocrotalus-but never attains the pendulous crest of that species and of P. mitratus, having merely a short recurved crest on the nape. Several skins of this species are in the collection formed by Capt. Beavan in British Burmah. P. philippensis is, as admitted by all authors, a close ally of P. rufescens; but I agree with Prince Bonaparte (C. R. xliii. p. 574' * Birds of America, vii. p. 200. t The bird described by Jerdon (B. Ind. iii. p. 857) as P. javanicus appear* to be P. mitratus; while his P. onocrotalus {I.e. p. 854) is probiblv thf> i javanicus (C£ Blyth, J. A. S. B. xviii. p. 821). *t rue U<E |
