546 RARE BRITISH BIRDS 



and in Europe has been recorded from the British Isles about twenty-six times ; the Faeroes 

 (one obtained), Norway, Sweden (two), Finland (three), Heligoland (one), France (several), etc. 

 [F. c. R. J.] 



HOODED-MERGANSER [Mtrgua cuculldtus Linnaeus]. 



1. Description. The large semicircular crest surmounting the crown in both sexes at 



once distinguishes the hooded from any other mergansers, The sexes differ conspicuously 

 in coloration. Length 18 in. [457 mm.]. The male has the upper parts of a glossy 

 black, relieved on the crest by a large semicircular patch of white. The major coverts 

 are tipped with white, and the long inner secondaries are falcated with a silvery white band 

 running down the shaft. The breast is white, and there is a crescentic bar of white on each side 

 of the fore-breast, and the flanks are of a reddish brown vermiculated with black. The iris is 

 yellow, the beak black, and the legs and toes are yellowish brown. The female recalls that of 

 the merganser, but is distinguished therefrom by the large erect crest and the brown colora- 

 tion of the upper parts ; iris hazel ; bill black ; legs and toes dusky. [\v. p. p. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. In the breeding season this species is confined to North America, where 

 it is widely distributed. Its northern range extends to central British Columbia, Great Slave 

 Lake, Central Keewatin, Central Ungava, and Newfoundland. It is abundant in N. Manitoba, 

 and is also common in the Rocky Mountains and British Columbia. Southward its breeding 

 range extends to Oregon, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Florida. On migration it occurs in 

 winter from the south of British Columbia to Lower California, Mexico, the Gulf States, and 

 Cuba, and has occurred casually in Alaska and Bermuda. The only European occurrences on 

 record are all from the British Isles (North Wales, Cork (two), and Kerry). [F. c. R. ,T.] 



THE FLAMINGO 



[ORDER : Ciconiiformes. SUBORDER : Phcenicopteri. FAMILY : Phcenicopteridce] 



FLAMINGO [Phoenicdpterus roseus Pallas. French, flaminant ; German, rosenfarbiger 

 Flamingo; Italian, fiammenti]. 



1. Description. Apart from the peculiar character of its beak (seeClassification),the flamingo 

 is to be readily distinguished by its extremely long and slender neck and long, stork-like legs 

 and webbed toes. The sexes are alike in coloration, though the female is smaller. Length 

 50 in. [1270 mm.]. The general coloration is of a pale pink, shading into a dark rose-pink on 

 the wings, save the remiges, which are black. The iris is dark brown ; the beak yellowish, 

 tipped with black ; while the legs and toes are of a lake-red, [w. p. p. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. Breeds locally in the Mediterranean region and in Southern and Central 

 Asia. Its most westerly breeding-place is on the Cape Verde Isles ; except in the dry season 

 it breeds in the Marismas of the Guadalquiver in S. Spain ; formerly in the Camargue, 

 S. France, in the lagoons of Tunisia, and also east of Port Said, Egypt. Eastward its chief 

 nesting-places are in the Kirghis steppes, Transcaucasia, the Gulf of Kizil-Agatch, Transcaspia, 

 the Persian Gulf, the Turgai government, and north to about lat. 50 18' in West Siberia, the 

 Runn of Cutch, India, and in Ceylon. In Europe it has occurred about fifteen times in 

 the British Isles, but most of these were probably escaped birds ; and on the Continent it has 

 occurred in France, Germany, Switzerland, and is a migrant to S. Europe, visiting the Balearic 

 Isles and Sardinia, and wintering in Africa, where it has occurred south to Cape Colony. It is 

 said to breed in the Transvaal and Bechuanaland. [F. c. R. J.] 



