LIFE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN FLAMINGO. 55 



astride of the nest, as it has so often been represented, but 

 doubles its legs under its body like other long-legged birds. 



I know of no authentic data as to the age the flamingo may 

 reach, but I judge that its life must be fully fifty years. The 

 bird of the first year is nearly gray, but after it sheds its first 

 winter plumage, it assumes a reddish color. One familiar with 

 flamingoes can easily distinguish their ages, at least to the 

 fourth year, and it is evident that they do not reach their full 

 brightness before the seventh year. 



The natives used to be in the habit of taking large numbers 

 of them for food during the moulting season, when the birds 

 cannot fly, the feathers being so few and the body so heavy. 

 The plan adopted was for a number of persons to go out with 

 long ropes, surround a flock, drive them together in a huddle, 

 then stretch a line of rope around them, and at a given signal 

 rush toward the flock. The birds, in their efforts to escape, 

 attempted to run past their pursuers, but were tripped up by 

 the rope. When thrown down into the water it took them 

 some moments to regain their feet, and thus their captors 

 gathered them in. 



Fifty years ago they used to be taken in large numbers and 

 carried to Key West, where they were sold for food, and about 

 the same time they were not uncommon in almost every suit- 

 able locality from the mouth of the Rio Grande to Cape Florida. 

 In these days the only locality in the United States where they 

 are common-, so far as I have been able to learn, is the extreme 

 western and southern coast of Florida. 



One of the most interesting observations I made was dur- 

 ing my last year's work. We always called it the "dress 

 parade." We were watching a flock of three hundred or more, 

 standing at rest some four hundred yards from shore. About 

 an hour after sunset a few birds commenced to feed, and soon 



