PH(EJfICOPTEEUS. 409 



greyish brown, especially on the upper neck ; scapulars, inter- 

 scapulars, and wing-coverts more or less brown, with dark shaft- 

 stripes, axillaries pink ; quills brown. The adult dress is gradually 

 acquired, after more than one moult. 



Skin near eye and base of the bill flesh-colour; end of bill and 

 edges of mandible black ; irides yellow ; legs and feet pinkish red. 



Length of male about 50; tail 6; wing 17*5; tarsus 14; bill 

 from gape straight to point 4-5 : females are smaller, wing 15 ; 

 tarsus 10-5. 



Distribution. Africa, Southern Europe, Southern and Central 

 Asia as far east as India and Lake Baikal. Common in the Punjab, 

 Sind, Guzerat, and parts of Bajputana and the N.W. Provinces, 

 about marshes and salt lakes ; rare in other parts of India, but 

 found near the sea-coast, both in the peninsula and in Ceylon, 

 though seldom seen inland ; very rare in Bengal, unknown further 

 east in Assam and Burma. 



Habits, fyc. Flamingoes commonly occur in flocks, and haunt 

 large shallow marshes and lakes (especially salt lakes) or the sea- 

 shore. They generally wade, but they can swim well, and I once 

 saw a large flock in the Persian Gulf, resting on the sea, more 

 than half a mile from land. They fly with the neck and feet 

 stretched out, and flocks travel in a long wavy line, like Cranes. 

 The food of Flamingoes consists, according to most authors, partly 

 of small crustaceans, worms, and insects, with larvae and ova, 

 partly of vegetable matter ; but Gadow says essentially of organic 

 slime, conferva, &c. 



Flamingoes breed in colonies, each pair building a small mound of 

 mud, hollow at the top, and rising a few inches above the shallow 

 water. The nidification is represented in the 'Ibis' for 1884, 

 pi, iv, p. 89. The eggs are white and chalky, and are said to be two 

 in number, about the size of a goose's egg. It is probable that 

 Flamingoes do breed in India, for recently a number of eggs, and, 

 it is stated, two newly hatched birds, were brought to the Rao of 

 Cutch from Khadir (Kharir or Kurreer) on the E-ann, and the Rao 

 was assured that the birds bred there in September and October. 

 Flamingoes undoubtedly breed in large numbers towards the head 

 of the Persian Gulf ; and Legge and Parker have obtained evidence 

 showing that they probably do so about March in South-western 

 Ceylon ; but it should be remembered that in North-western 

 India these birds are migratory, arriving about October, and 

 remaining, if there is water, till May or June, and that around the 

 Sambhar salt lake, where they abound in the cold season, their 

 eggs have frequently been found, irregularly scattered, about May, 

 and have occasionally been met with in November, but the birds 

 never sit on such eggs. It is possible that the Cutch eggs may 

 have been similarly dropped. Flamingoes are excellent eating 

 when in good condition. 



