PHOENICONAIAS MINOR 



(2) PHCENICONAIAS MINOR. 

 THE LESSER FLAMINGO. 



Phoenicopterus minor, Gcoffr. Bull. Soc. Philom. i, ii, p. 98, figs. 1-3 

 (1798) ; Jcnl. Mad. Jour, xii, p. 217 (1840) : Bhjth. Cat. p. 299 (1819) ; 

 ul. Ibis, 1867, p. 174; Jerd. Ibi.s, 1869, p. 231 (Delhi); Hume, ibid. 

 p. 355; Hume, S. F. i, pp. 31, 258 (1872); Adavis, ibid. p. 400 

 (1873) (Sambhur Lake) ; ib. ibid, ii, p. 339 (1874), (Sambhur) ; 

 Hume, ibid, iv, p. 25 (1875) (N. Guzerat) ; Butler, ibid, v, p. 234 

 (1872) (N. Guzerat) ; Hume, ibid, viii, p. 114 (1879) ; Butler, ibid. 

 ix, p. 436 (1880) (Deccan) ; Legge, B. of C. p. 1093 (1880) (N.W. India) ; 

 Hume, S. F. x, p. §13 (1887) (not breeding in India) ; Barnes, B. Bom. 

 p. 393 (1885) ; Bethani, J. B. N. H. S. xii, p. 222 (1898) ; Blanford, 

 Avifauna B. I. iv, p. 410 (1898) ; Rao Khcngarji, J. B. N. H. S. 

 xix, p. 262 (1909) (Cutch). 



Phoenicopterus blythi, Bonap. Consp. Av. ii, p. 146 (1857). 



PhoBnicopterus roseus, Jerd. B. I. ill, p. 775 (1864) (part). 



PhcBnicopterus rubidus, Feildcn, Ibis, 1868, p. 496 ; Gray, Ibis, 1869, 

 p. 442. 



Phoeniconaias minor, Salvad. Cat. Birds B. M. xxvii, p. 18 (1895) ; 

 Stuart Baker, J. B. N. H. S. xi, p. 8 (1897) (full syn. descrip. &c.) ; 

 Dates, Cat. Eggs B. M. ii, p. 137 (1902) ; Stuart Baker, Indian Ducks, 

 p. 7 (1908) ; Fenton, J. B. N. H. S. xx, p. 221 (1910) (Kathiawar) ; 

 Mosse, ibid. p. 518 (1910) (Kathiawar). 



Description. Adult Male. — General colour a bright pale-pink ; feathers 

 at the base of the bill crimson ; the longest scapularies and median wing- 

 coverts crimson, the latter edged paler ; other wing-coverts and the edges of 

 the under wing-coverts rosy, the greater under wing-coverts and quills black ; 

 axillaries crimson ; rectrices darker and with the outer webs tinged with 

 crimson ; under tail-coverts subtipped with a tinge of crimson. Some old 

 males, perhaps during the breeding-season only, have the feathers of the 

 back with crimson shaft-stripes. 



Colours of soft parts. — Iris red minium ; bill dark lake-red, with the tip 

 black; feet red (Antinori). 



Measurements. — Length 34 to 38 inches, wing 13 to 14, tail about 5, 

 culmen 4 to 4"25, tarsus 7'5 to 8'25. 



Female. — Similar to the male, but smaller and paler, without the crimson 

 scapularies, and with no crimson on the back or breast. 



