THE FLAMINGO 



Phoenicopterus antiquorum 



Arabic, Basharoush 



On the head, neck, and body, in the adult, a delicate 

 coral pink tints all the white : in younger birds these parts 

 are pure white ; large wing-feathers black, all the rest various 

 tones of red, from a delicate rose to the deepest crimson ; in 

 young birds the wings are of an ashy brown ; legs and base 

 of bill in the adult a pink with a somewhat leaden hue ; in 

 young birds legs leaden ; tip of bill black ; eyes, straw-yellow. 

 Total length, 45 inches. 



If it were not for zoological collections few of us 

 would be as familiar with the form of this strange 

 bird as we are — for though there are thousands and 

 thousands of them in Egypt, it is generally only 

 seen when flying in great flocks high overhead, 

 and it does not often give a chance of a close 

 inspection. But owing to its peculiarities it is 

 always a favourite, and young as well as old are 

 interested in its extraordinary length of leg and 

 neck, and charmed with its brilliant rosy -red 

 plumage, so that all know something of its 

 appearance if they do not know much of its life- 

 history. The Flamingo loves most of all shallow 

 water, and lives nearly all its days in the great 

 brackish lakes of Lower Egypt. 



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