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NOTES, ETC. 



mouth ; the flamingo then bends its long neck over the gaping 

 oariama and pours this fluid into the mouth, and as frequently 

 on the back of the cariama. Having seen this repeatedly I took 

 an opportunity of obtaining a portion of this fluid, and submit- 

 ted it to the examination of Dr. Murie. We placed it under the 

 microscope and found it composed of little else than blood ; in 

 fact the red blood-corpuscles are wonderfully abundant in the 

 otherwise clear and almost transparent glutinous fluid. That 

 this does not proceed from any disease or injury done to the 

 flamingo, nor arise from or is produced by any portion or part of 

 the food taken by them, I am perfectly certain, for the birds are 

 in the most vigorous health and condition; but I believe that 

 it is an attempt to supply food to the cariamas, just as the 

 hedge-sparrow and other birds supply food to the young cuckoo ; 

 and I have no doubt if a careful observer had the opportunity 

 of watching the flamingoes on their breeding-ground, he would 

 flnd that this is the mode of feeding their young ; no doubt other 

 food is also provided, but most likely mixed with this secretion. 

 1 think it highly probable that this habit was noticed in ancient 

 Egypt, and, by the confusion of names in translation, the pelican 

 was supposed to be the bird intended ; in fact I have heard that 

 the representation (which I am very anxious to see) is much 

 more like a flamingo than a pelican. Again, a flamingo is much 

 more a bird of the wilderness than the pelican, seeing that the 

 pelican requires a good supply of flsh, while the flamingo can 

 live and does well upon very small insects, seeds, &c., and is 

 found in places in which the pelican would starve." 



