416 



LAMELLIROSTKAL aRALLATOEES — PHOSNICOPTEEI. 



Length, about 42.00-48.00 inches ; extent, 64.00-66.00 ; wing, 15.30-16.50 ; culmen, about 

 5.20 ; bare jjortion of tibia, 10.00 ; tarsus, 12.00-14.50 ; middle toe, 3.20. 



Perfectly adult examples are almost uniform tine vermilion-scarlet, as described above ; less 

 mature individuals are i)aler, the neck and body light vermiliou-pink, the wings light vermilion- 

 scarlet. The very young bii'ds are said to be covered with a white cottony do^vn. 



The American Flamingo has small claim to be ranked as a bird of the North 

 American fauna, being found only in the extreme portion of Florida ; and, even there, 

 the constant persecutions to which it is subjected must, by the resulting exter- 

 mination of the species within a very few years, put an end to even this limited 

 claim. This Flamingo is more or less abundant in several of the West India Islands, 

 most especially Cuba and the Bahama Islands ; and a single specimen has been 

 noticed in the Bermudas. 



The late Dr. Gustavus Wiirdemann visited Florida in 1857, and made some inter- 

 esting observations relative to this species, which were published, after his death, in 

 the " Annual Eej)ort of the Smithsonian Institution " for 1800. He speaks of the 

 Flamingo as being known to but feAV of the inhabitants of Florida, and as being con- 

 fined to the immediate neighborhood of the most southern portion of that penin- 

 sula — Cape 8able and the Keys in its vicinity. It existed formerly near Indian 

 Eiver, but had been driven from that region. On the west coast of Florida it ranges 

 as far north as Cape Eomano, where it was seen every year, but was not known to 

 breed there, and was supposed to nest among the fresh-water lakes near Cape Sable. 



Having been told that Flamingoes were taken during the latter part of June and 

 early in July, when moulting, in large numbers by wreckers, Dr. Wiirdemann sought 

 for an opportunity to witness their capture, and with this view accompanied a small 

 party early in August. We give Dr. Wiirdemann's account, only abridging his narra- 

 tive somewhat. After a while the Captain shouted, '' The Flamingoes ! " But it was 

 not until an advance of another mile had been made that the Doctor Avas able to per- 

 ceive two red spots, apparently under two distant Keys ; these proved to be large 

 flocks of this bird, which started \i\) Avlieu the party came Avithin half a mile of 

 them, leaving six of their number behind. Avliich Avcre luoidting, and unable to fol- 

 low. Paddling as fast as they could, the men soon came up Avith these birds, which 

 employed both Avings and legs in endeavoring to escape. The Captain seized one 

 after another and thrcAV them into the boat, taking the Avhole six. They afterAvard 

 overtook other flocks of the Flamingoes in a similar manner, until the small canoe 

 was loaded down Avith more than a hundred of these unfortunate birds, packed away 



