Birds of Madagascar. 1 19 



" to satiate/^ he, I cannot say. This word is also used in 

 a general way for the Cormorants as well. 



(4) The last bird to be noticed in this Order of Herons is a 

 species of Flamingo. This bird^ according to M. Grandidier, 

 is not very rare on the west coast, although it is so more to 

 the north and the east. Mr. Cory also says : " This bird is 

 found in Imerina, particularly at Lake Itasy, where I have 

 often seen it. The flesh is extremely good eating. I have 

 never tasted any meat — fish, flesh, or fowl — to equal it." 

 Its native name of Saniaka is particularly appropriate and 

 descriptive, for it means " disunited," " split/' referring to 

 its immensely long legs. Its other name of Sama, or 

 Samab^, means "Large-mouthed.'' 



Mr. W. Wilson remarks as to the Flamingo : '^ The Samabe 

 or Anjombona (so called from its trumpeting cry, anjbmbona 

 being the native name for a large species of Triton-&\ie\\ used 

 as a trumpet) is, as seen in Mandridrano, an exceedingly 

 handsome bird ; it has a white body with a most delicate 

 pink tinge pervading the whole of the underpart of the 

 wings. In the adult male bird there is a row of small 

 feathers on the wings of a distinct magenta colour. The 

 neck towards the head has a similar but paler colouring. 



" An adult male bird I had in my possession stood quite 

 4 feet high, and even then was not by any means stretched to 

 its full height. They are much larger than any Heron I 

 have seen. When on the defensive, these birds make quite a 

 loud noise by sharply closing and opening their beaks, 

 which are long and powerful. A blow from them would 

 inflict a terrible wound. I have never seen more than nine 

 birds together at or near Itasy. When on the wing they 

 fly exceedingly high." 



[To be continued.] 



