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DUCKS. 



They live upon shell-fish, the spawn of fishes, and marine animals, 

 which they procure by means of their curiously-shaped bill, turning 

 the upper mandible towards the ground, and using it as a scoop. 

 As the flamingo stalks about upon its long stilt-like legs, or wades 



in the shallow waters, it holds down its long neck towards the 

 ground, and the peculiarly-formed upper mandible is thus turned 

 back downwards, and constitutes a receptacle for an\- small objects 

 in the mud or water. These are strained out by the lamelL-E of the 

 mandibles, assisted by the spines which fringe the fleshy tongue; 

 and the flamingo is thus enabled to retain the small fishes, mol- 

 lusca, and Crustacea that constitute its food. The flamingo is an 

 inhabitant of Southern Europe, Africa, and Asia; it is a large bird, 

 old males often standing nearly five feet in height ; and as it is 



