THE AMERICAN FLAMINGO. 231 



erally skirt the low grounds near the shore, are se- 

 lected as their resort. The nests are placed some- 

 times two or three upon the same tree,' but seldom 

 more. In whatever position they build, it is said 

 that the nests always front the water, and very often 

 overhang it. These communities seem very social in 

 their disposition, living upon good terms with the 

 Night Herons, Green Herons, and Grakles which 

 have their nests near by. 



We cannot close our notices of the Grallatores with- 

 out a brief description of that gorgeously plumaged 

 bird, the American Flamingo. Although extremely 

 rare, and seldom seen within our territory except 

 upon the most southern extremity of Florida, and 

 upon the little islands which skirt its coast, it seems 

 entitled to a place among those which annually visit us 

 from the south. 



This elegant bird is about four feet in height, and 

 is wholly of a bright scarlet color, with the exception 

 of the primaries and a part of the secondaries, which 

 are black. Its habits are very similar to those of the 

 Waders in general ; its flight consists of alternate sail- 

 ing and flapping of the wings, the neck and legs be- 

 ing both extended to the utmost. The nest of the 



o 



Flamingo is a curious structure; it is built in the 

 midst of the shallow water of some salt-pond, the 

 mud being heaped up into a pile about two or three 

 feet high, on the top of which a hollow is scooped 

 out, where the female lays two white eggs about the 

 size of those of a goose. In covering the eggs dur- 

 ing incubation, she is obliged to stand with one foot 



