PHCENICOPTERUS ANTIQDORUM 7 



flight, whereas on migration, or when moving to any distance, 

 their formation is much as ah'eady described. 



Flying or wading they are a lovely sight, and, often as they have 

 been described, no one has yet been able to do justice to their beauty. 

 In December, 1881, when passing through the Suez Canal, I observed 

 more of these birds congregated together than I had ever considered 

 possible, the banks in some places looking as if they were covered 

 with a rosy snow, so densely were the birds packed. As the steamer 

 gradually approached nearer and nearer, the snow melted on its 

 outskirts into a crimson flame as the birds lifted their wings on 

 taking flight, and in so doing exposed their scarlet coverts and 

 axillaries. They made but little noise, the few calls that were heard 

 being very similar to those of a wild goose, but not perhaps quite so 

 discordant. 



Writing of these birds. Dr. Eagle Clarke ('Ibis,' 1895, p. 200), 

 says : — 



" To ^Yitness the simultaneous unfolding of a thousand lovely 

 crimson and black pinions under brilliant sunlight is a sight, the 

 recollection of which will not readily be effaced from our memories. 

 The flock did not run forward to rise on the wing, but we noticed 

 that they deliberately turned and faced a gentle breeze that was 

 blowing and rose with perfect ease. We several times noticed 

 the whole herd on the wing, but in no instance was any particular 

 formation maintained." 



They do not, however, at least in this country, always rise in 

 the same manner, but both before rising and after alighting run 

 forward some steps in a most ungainly manner. 



They generally leave Northern India in May or June, though 

 they have been seen in July, and the first few birds return in the 

 end of September. From Southern as well as from Eastern India 

 they migrate a good deal earlier as a rule, but they have been 

 recorded in Ceylon in May, and, as mentioned above, from Tuticorin 

 in July. 



As might be expected from the very curious formation of the 

 bill, their mode of feeding is rather remarkable. Bending down 

 their long necks between their legs, and looking very much like 

 bird acrobats preparing to stand on their heads, they invert their 

 bills entirely, and use them as shovels in which to catch or collect 



