68 BIRD GALLERY. 



representative of a distinct subfamily, with the toes only half-webbed 

 and the hind toe very long and on a level with the other toes. Another 

 striking semipalmate form, arlso the type of a different subfamily, is the 

 Cape Barren Goose {Cereopsis nova hollandice) (784) from South-east 

 Australia and Tasmania. 

 [Central In the large central Case in the middle of the Gallery will be found 

 Case.] ^|jg Swans, which constitute the last subfamily, Cygnince. Three species 

 visit the British Islands, viz. the Mute or Polish Swan [Cygnusolor] (785), 

 commonly seen on ornamental waters, the W hooper and Bewick's Swans 

 (C. musicus (787) and C. bewicki (788)). Other forms exhibited are 

 the North- American Trumpeter-Swan (C. buccinaior) (786), the 

 South-American Black-necked Swan (C. melancoryphus) (790), and, 

 most graceful of all, the Australian Black Swan {Chenopsis atrata) (789), 

 which may be seen with its cygnets in the middle of winter on the 

 ornamental waters in the London Parks. Lastly the Coscoroba 

 Swan (^Coscoroba Candida) (791), from the southern parts of Sonth 

 America, which forms a connecting link between the Swans and 

 Geese. 



Order XVII. PHCENICOFTERIFORMES. 



Family PHCENicoPTERiDiB. Flamingoes. 



r , .„ The Flamingoes, M'ith their enormously long neck and legs and curious 

 and decurved bill specially adapted for sifting their food, are so familiar that 

 Central ^}jgy require no description. They are found over the temperate and 

 tropical regions of both the Old and New Worlds, the best known being 

 the Common Flamingo {Fhoenicopterus roseus) (792). This bird is a 

 migrant to Southern Europe and a rare straggler to Britain during the 

 summer. It usually frequents the brackish and salt-water marshes near 

 the sta-coast, where it congregates in large colonies and builds mud- 

 nests which rise like little islands some inches above the surface of the 

 water [see group in Central Case] . It was long supposed that the birds 

 incubated their single egg by standing astride their nests with their feet 

 resting in the water, but it has now been ascertained that their legs 

 are doubled up under them and their long necks gracefully curled away 

 over their backs. As in the Ducks, the young are able to run as soon 

 as they are hatched. Other forms shown are the Ruddy Flamingo 

 (P. ruber) (793) from Tropical America, and the Small Flamingo 

 {Phoeniconaias minor) (794), which ranges from Africa to India. 



