272 BIEDS OF EGYPT. 



sitting motionless by the river-bank, with its neck stretched 

 out in a straight line, making itself look as tall as possible. 



Top of the head and nape, back, scapulars, and tail greenish 

 black ; quills black ; greater wing-coverts creamy white, re- 

 mainder of the coverts sandy colour ; the rest of the plumage 

 sandy brown, inchning to cream-colour on the sides of the 

 chin, the lower part of the abdomen, and under tail-coverts ; 



« 



ear-coverts washed with grey ; legs olive ; beak yellowish 

 brown, shading into dark brown on the culmen ; irides 

 brown. 



Entire length 12 inches; culmen TO; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 5*5 ; tarsus I'G. 



The immature birds have the feathers on the back and 

 scapulars brown, edged with sandy colour, with some brown 

 streaks on the throat ; abdomen and greater wing-coverts 

 sandy colour. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 281. 



Order AN SERES. 

 Pam. PHffiNICOPTERID^. 



285. Phcenicopterus antiquorum, Bp. Flamingo. 



The Flamingo is rather rare on the Nile itself, but is 

 extremely abundant in the great brackish-water lakes of 

 Lower Egypt, and is not uncommon in the Fayoom. On 

 lakes Mareotis and Menzaleh large flocks of these birds may 

 generally be seen wading far out in the shallow water. They 

 are very shy and difficult to approach within gun-shot, and 



