The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-11
10. THE PELICAN AT HOME.

TO- THE PEbICAS AT HOME.
We have seen the feathered race. high and
low. from the denIzens of the barnyard,
whose clipped pinions contine them close
and falcon that saIl among the highest
clouds; but IL will not do to leave the
ornithologlcal Kingdom until We have
taken at least one glance, however short,
State, and without whose signature and
approval our laws and etatutes are but as
va waste paper-the pe!icaft We find him upon
she "a. borders m a OF little xe, ln company ofa
aorp so. q I've web footed birds His friends the
Flamingo, as red as any cardinal, are prom
enabling along the lakeside enjoying the
breeze and watching DOR fab, when suddenly
one OF the, history and Rex have forgotten
to say, which -espies rich and toothaomo
morsel, long green snake. He lifts 1t up In
his beaH and ts just about to swallow It with
gusto, when his companions catch glimpse
Of the dainty, dash at hlm,, and straightway
there begins triangular battle for It, each
bird pulling away at 1t with all his might and
mains
But 1t is not the fight that interests us 40
much as our State bird. We find him at home.
aud can therefore study his domestic habits
aud be able to see whether he is true to the
honor Of Louisiana or hot. Perched upon q
tree In whose branches hls nest is built-s
eltght deviation from natural history, -
Peiicans do not build their nests habitual(y In
the boughs OF trees and generally select
the sea-shore instead our Pelican ls seated
watching his brood Of young. He is not In
terested in the least In the sguabble Of his
friends over the snake, for he has brought
home hs pocket or rather his pouch full Of
the choicest daintes for his brood Of little
Pellcans a round half dozen there are, who
walt with their big mouths Wide open, orying
for more Az we gaze upon the Pellcan's ugly
mlsshapen feet, bis deformed body, his wob-
bling gait his ugly eyes, his hideous goitre,
his disgusting stupidity 1T is useless TO re-
capitulate further, for all his points and Qt1ali-
ties are ugly-a feeling Of the most intense
patriotic disgust fills our bosoraa when We
think that oar forefathers fastened this dis
Gustlng bird upon us. He is no Louisianlan
In any sense Of the word, but a carpet-bagger
who comes to live upon the country for seq
son, ugly. etupid and dirty, without q single
redeemng feature, without single Louisiana
attribute. and whose only claim to distinction
ts based on an absurd and silly fable which
Reg himself eontradiots, as he shows us this
her hearts blood, but on stale catfish and
decayed mlnnows. Down with the Pelican
III this be treason, make the most OF It."
III. WATER.
IL. THH SEA QUEENS COURT.
The storm has ragged for days; 1t has torn
down the masts OF the vessel and shattered
it's hull. In vain the sailors labor at the
pumps; There is % no hope no escape; the
ths nS ssa ssnt boT rolls
lureh, and then sinks like stone to the bot
tom, carrying down with her all on board.
One sailor still lives and struggles energeti-
cally for his life, but tides and currents carry
him to the very bottom Of thesea. With a hur-
ried prayer he is preparing for death when he
ls suddenly seized by a pair Of warm white
arms, and Rlanclng around, fearful lest some
octopus has him In Its grasp, finds himself
fbxst ,r.cnru n t,a al tstAa
tarfly wings, who charges him with invasion
Of her queens domains and with designs upon
her favorite pearls, and insists On his coming
before the queen and answering Nothing
10th, the earthly visitor ls led through halls
and grottos, where the green sea is liz up
by respondent gems, until be reaches the SEQ
queens 9rOtto II is built Of shells, pearls
and submarine plants. Four pillars Of spiral
coral dome OF this palace All around are
scattered the gaudiast sea plants, sea ane-
mones, star fish and llchens In the centre OF
this grotto the Queen Of the Sea is mounted
on a throne formed OF an immense inverted
she'll Her robes are green and white, and
her butterfly wings radiant with many colOrs.
Two attendant mermalds are waiting on her,
dressed In the latest fashions OF the sea, and
with their robes so arranged aB to conceal, as
far as 1t is possible, the one slight defOrmity
they are suffering from. One is fair musician,
with q shell guitar, whose music lures 80 Oft
the sailor to his death the others fan, OF pink
cooling the fair brow OF the nymph, the Queen
Vi 'he 'o"' ~ rr,,.rau
'"' 'tsAN'" o"Afh'
The warm sun OF summer has reached at
.sg uo VI 'hU vi, ann tuo ~
immenae continent anddenlv d,aannanra the
land sinks into the aeas md tho mm1ntains
float Off To beoome ,ceberus where init =
few short days ago the Polar bear roamed
the ioljv zeal and tha seslate walrus namhniiei
playfullv around. is now the omen ocean. with
only here and there some Ice DRIFT fipating by.
The beasts of the sea amphibioug animals
who love an hours ease or 40 On land. have
now no SPOT left whereon to rest ttair weary
limbs. 4 friendly whale seeking In these
cllarterg an escape from persec,atir,c sailors.