342 



THE RED FLAMINGO. 



The neck is long. Tbe legs and tbighs are of great length: the fMl 



are webbed ; aud tbe back toes vcrj small. 



THE EED FLAMINGO. 



The body of tbe Red Flamingo is about tbe size of tbat 



Goose ; bat 



f fl 

 its 



legs and neck are 

 of 911 cb extraordi- 

 nary length, that 

 when it stands 

 erect it is upwards 

 of sis feet in 

 height. The body 

 is of a beautiful 

 scarlet. It is an 

 inhabitant of those 

 parts of iLmerica 

 that are as yet but 

 thinly peopled. 



When the Euro^ 

 peans first visited 

 America, they 

 found the Flamin- 

 goes on tbe shores 

 tame and gentle, 

 and no way dis- 

 trustful of man- 

 kind. If one of 

 them was kiTIed, tbe rest of the flock, instead of attempting to fly, 

 only regarded the fall of their companion with a kind of fixetl aston- 

 ishment : another and another shot was discharged; and thus the 

 fowler often levelled tbe whole flock, without one of them attem})ting 

 lo escape. Now, however, tbey regard us with aversion. Wherever 

 they haunt, one of the number, it is said, is always appointed to watch 

 while the rest are employed in feeding ; and the moment he perceives 

 the least danger, be gives a load scream, in sound not unlike a 

 trumpet, and instantly the whole fliock is on wirtg. Tbey feed in 

 Bilence ; bat, when thus roused, tbey all join in the noise, &n4 fill the 

 air with their screams. 



Their nest is of a singular construction. It is formed ot mu<J, in the 

 flhape of a hillock, with a cavity at the top. In this the female gen- 

 erally lays twc white eggs, of the size of those of a goose, but longer. 

 The hillock is of such a height as to admit of tbe bird's sitting on it, 

 or rather standing, as her legs are placed one on each side, at full length. 

 Linnssus tells us that she will sometimes lay her eggs on the project- 

 icg part of a low rock, if it happen to be sufficiently convenient to 

 admit of the legs being placed in this manner on each side. 



It is not until a loug time after tbey are hatched that the youngs 



RED PlAItnWJO. 



