PHCENICOPTERIDj. 333 



stage the bill becomes more elongated, with the extre- 

 mities black and the remaining portions first bluish and 

 subsequently pink, when the bird has become fully adult, 

 at which period the legs and feet are of a scarlet-pink 

 and the irides are orange. 



383. Phcsnicopterus minor, Geoff. St.-Hil. Lesser South-African 

 Flamingo. 



Phcenicopterus parvus, Temmink's PI. Col. pi. 419. 



Phcenicopterus minor, Strickland & Sclater, Birds Damar., Contr. 



Orn. 1852, p. 159. 



Andersson in Ibis, 1865, p. 65. 



Layard's Cat. No. 645. 



Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 420. 



Gray, in Ibis, 1869, pi. 15. fig. 8 (head). 



Finsch & Hartlaub's Vogel Ost-Afrika's, 



p. 798. 



This species is comparatively rare at Walwich Bay 

 and elsewhere on the south-west coast of Africa, but at 

 Lake Ngami it is more common. 



It is a perfect gem amongst the feathered tribes ; and 

 a flock of these birds quietly feeding in some secluded 

 nook, with their bright-coloured legs half immersed in the 

 water and with the sunlight playing on their beautiful 

 plumage, forms a scene which is almost fairy-like. 



In the adult bird the form of the bill is precisely the 

 same as in the newly fledged young of P. erythrceus ; the 

 basal part of the bill is of a dull brownish purple, the 

 part adjoining being vermilion which deepens into 

 crimson bordered by black, the latter being shaded off 

 into a light horn-colour towards the extremities of the 



