230 BIRDS. 



CHAPTER VII. THE FLAMINGO. 



A short chapter, truly; but, following my plan of 

 enumerating the British representatives of each order in 

 a chapter, I have no option but to devote this one to 

 that rare and handsome straggler, the Flamingo. The 

 home of this tall bird, with the pink-and-scarlet plumage 

 and remarkable curved, pink, black-tipped bill, is in Africa 

 and Southern Europe. It breeds among the salt marshes, 

 and sits on its mud nest, which resembles a small ant- 

 hill (I have in memory countries where anthills of ten 

 feet high are common), with folded legs, and not, as 

 formerly represented, astraddle. It is known to eat a 

 certain quantity of frogs, but its food is for the most 

 part of a vegetable nature. Its occurrences in these 

 islands have up to the present been but four, one of 

 which Mr Saunders regards as possibly escaped from 

 captivity. Another of the four was, I am happy to say, 

 observed only, not shot. It is scarcely to be supposed 

 that so large and conspicuous a bird could have visited 

 us unnoticed. 



CHAPTER VIII. THE GEESE, SWANS, 

 AND DUCKS. 



[A large and important order of waterfowl, varying 

 in size from the swans down to the teal, a little bird 

 less than a third of their length. Some of them have 

 been totally domesticated, others resort to inland waters 

 under a kind of tacit protection. The decoys used for 

 taking many of these birds, elaborate accounts of which 

 have been given by Mr Cordeaux, Mr Harting, Sir R. 

 Payne - Gallwey, Mr Southwell, and others, are found 



