12 BULLETIN 135, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



buzzards, and the presence of one of these vultures near a breeding 

 rookery always causes considerable excitement. Much mortality 

 among young birds and eggs is also caused by heavy rains, flooding 

 the rookeries. But the worst enemies of these birds are the Bahama 

 negroes who raid the rookeries before the young birds are able to fly 

 and round them up in large numbers. The young birds are easily 

 caught and form an important food supply for the natives; what 

 birds they can not dispose of at once are salted down in brine for 

 future use. The negroes are also very skillful in capturing the old 

 birds by stealthy approach behind a screen of branches. A heavy 

 toll has been thus levied for many years on the eggs, young birds, and 

 adults until these beautiful birds seemed to be threatened with exter- 

 mination. But fortunately, now that suitable laws have been enacted, 

 the flamingos are receiving a reasonable degree of protection and there 

 is hope that these interesting birds will long continue to give color to 

 the Bahama landscape. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Tropical zones of the Americas, including the islands of 

 the Caribbean Sea. East to southern Florida, (formerly Cape Sable) ; 

 the Bahama Islands, (great Abaco, Andros, etc.) ; eastern Venezuela, 

 (formerly the Delta of the Orinoco River) ; and French Guiana, 

 (formerly, Cayenne). South to east central Brazil (Praia do caju- 

 tuba). West to the Galapagos Archipelago (Charles Island). North 

 to Cuba (Isle of Pines) .and Yucatan (formerly, Rio Lagartos). The 

 flamingo apparently does not breed in the interior of South America 

 and it has become extinct over much of the area where it once bred 

 in large numbers. 



Casual r<26'orc?,s.— Nonmigratory in the usual sense of the word, the 

 flamingo is known outside of its breeding range only as a casual or 

 accidental visitor. One was taken on De Bardien Island, South 

 Carolina, September 17 or 18, 1876, and Audubon states that others 

 had been taken in the vicinity of Charleston. One was seen at 

 Bermuda in 1849; there are several records for both coasts of Florida 

 and for many of the islands in the Carribbean Sea, where it is not 

 known as a breeder. Nelson and Goldman collected specimens at 

 San Fehpe, Yucatan, April 23, 1901, and McAtee saw a single in- 

 dividual in Cameron Parish, western Louisiana, December 6, 1910. 

 Most supposed records for this bird for the State of Texas have been 

 found to refer to the roseate spoonbill, which bears the name "flam- 

 ingo" among the natives of the Texan coast; but the author is in- 

 clined to accept a sight record made b}^ R. D. Camp at Bahia Grande 

 October 15, 1912, after a severe Gulf storm. 



Egg dates. — Bahama Islands: 32 records, March 2 to July 14; 16 

 records, May 11 to 16. Galapagos Islands, February 26. 



