PELICAN, Pelicanus. The Author of the Commentary upon the Psalms, which bears the Name of St. Jerome1, says, there are two Sorts of Pelicans One lives upon the Water, and feeds upon Fish, the other keeps in Desarts and feeds upon Serpents and other Reptiles Eusebius says2, that the Pelican has a peculiar Tenderness for its young. It generally places its Nest upon a craggy Rock, that the Serpents may not come at it; but the Serpent that is an Enemy to this Bird observes the Wind, and when it blows towards the Pelican’s Nest, it squirts out its Venom, and kills the young ones. The Pelican to bring them to Life again mounts up above the Clouds, and striking its Sides with its Wings, makes the Blood to come forth, which falling on its Nest through the Clouds, restores the young to Life again. St. Austin3, and Isidore of Sevil4, take Notice of the same Thing, but with some Diversity. They say the Pelican draws Blood from it self by striking with its Bill, and so by shedding it on its Nest brings the Young to Life. But these Histories may be placed among the Errors of the old Philosophy.
The Hebrew Word Kaath5, which the Seventy have translated by Pelicanus, Ps. cii. 6. and Levit. xi. 18. is elsewhere translated by Mergulus, a Dipper, as Deut. xiv. 17. elsewhere by Birds, as Isai. xxxiv. 11. and elsewhere by Lions, as Zeph. ii. 14. St. Jerome has translated it by Onocrotalus in Levit. xi. 18. Isai. xxxiv. 11. and Zeph. ii. 14. Others by this Word understand the Bittern, or the Hern, or the Swan, or the Lapwing, or the Cuckow Bochart6 thinks the Hebrew Word Kaath signifies the Pelican, a Bird of the aquatick Kind, which they say gorges its Crop with Shell-fish, and when they are opened by the Heat of its Crop, disgorges them again, that it may have the Fish to eat. Kaath comes from Kaab, which signifies to vomit.
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