744 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Fam. PHENICOPTERIDZ. 
718. PHenicoprerus ERYTHREUS, Verr. 
Greater South African Flamingo. 
Our large Flamingo has a wide range throughout South Africa, 
and has been killed, both in mature and young plumage, at the 
month of Salt River, close to Cape Town. We are informed that it 
is very abundant at Verloren Vley at certain seasons; and many 
persons have assured us that it breeds there. Mr. Chapman also 
informs us that both the Flamingos found in South Africa breed on 
Lake N’gami, forming a large elevated nest of rushes, amid the 
reeds that surround the lake. We saw it in great numbers at the 
mouth of the river flowing out of Zoetendals Vley in November. 
An egg, said to belong to this species, was presented to the Museum 
by Miss Boonzaier, of Hoedtje’s Bay. - It is pure white, finely 
granulated ; shell extremely thin: axis, 3" 9’ ; diam., 2” 7’”’. 
Mr. Rickard has procured the Flamingo near Port Elizabeth at 
the salt-pan at Bethelsdorp, on the Uitenhage road. Mr. Andersson 
writes: “This Flamingo is very abundant at Walwich Bay, Sand- 
wich Harbour, Angra Pequena, and the mouth of the Orange River ; 
it is also met with in a few inland localities, such as Lake N’gami, 
Lake Orondava, &c., all of which are more or less impregnated with 
saline substances, to which this species seems to be attached. With 
rare exceptions (and these not well authenticated, but merely sur- 
mised from young birds being sometimes found barely able to fly) 
the Flamingos do not breed in any parts of the coast above particu- 
larized ; and, indeed, the only locality where I know for a certainty 
that they nest is the inland one of Lake N’gami. On the approach 
of the breeding season they leave the coast of Damara Land, and 
wing their way to the northward ; they take their departure about 
the month of February, and return about the latter end of October 
and during November, the old birds being the first to arrive. The 
Flamingo feeds both during the day and the night; but I suspect 
that the latter is its principal feeding-time ; for about sunset flocks 
varying from a few individuals to many hundreds may be seen 
pursuing their flight in various directions, and their loud croaking 
