212 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Botaurus stellaris stellaris (L.). Bittern. Fj-. Grand 

 Butor ; Gcr. Rohrdommel ; Ital. Tarabuso ; Swed. Rohrdrom. 



^ $ Above tawny, marked, freckled, and streaked with dark 

 brown or chestnut ; quills brown, barred chestnut ; beneath dark 

 buff, streaked with reddish brown. Bill greenish yellow, upper 

 ridge brown. Legs and feet pale green, back of tarsus and soles 

 yellow. Facial skin green. Iris yellow. Wing $, 320-350, 

 $ 300-326. Tarsus 96-102 (H.). Bill 65-75. 



Breeds. — England (Norfolk) ; Continental Europe from S. 

 Sweden (rare), Finland (very rare), and N. Russia about 63°, 

 south to Mediterranean ; N.W. Africa, and through temperate 

 Asia to Japan. Migrates ; occasional in winter in Britain, Greece, 

 Macedonia. Winters in Egypt, and Africa to Abyssinia, also 

 India and China. 



Botaurus lentiginosus (Montagu). Distinguished from 

 "stellaris" by its uniform slaty grey primaries. Wing ^ 270-305, 

 9 245-270. Tarsus 86-97. Bill 68-80 (W.). 



An American species ; has occurred about forty times in 

 Britain, also Iceland, Channel Islands, Canaries, and Azores. 



PHCENICOPTERI. 



Legs very long and slender, feet webbed ; bill abruptly 

 bent in middle and lamellated on both mandibles; 

 only one genus " Fhoenicopterus " ; gregarious; nest 

 low platform or mound of mud ; eggs 2, chalky white. 



PHCENICOPTERID.^. 



Characters as in the Order. 



Phcenicopterus. 



Phoenicopterus ruber antiquorum Temminck. 

 Flamingo. Fr. Flamant rose ; Ital. Fenicottero. 



^ 9 Rosy white ; quills black, wing coverts and axillaries 

 scarlet. Bill pink with black tip. Facial skin pink. Legs and 

 feet deep pink. Iris yellow. Wing ^ 360-445, ? 350-420. 

 Tarsus ^ 280-370, $ 260-300. Bill 118-132 (H.). Young: neck 



