378 UTILITARIAN ZOOLOGY 



The Flamingo (Pkcenicopterus roseus, fig. 1267) is one of the 

 most interesting birds that falls to the gun of the fowler in the 

 Peninsula. Chapman & Buck (in Wild Spain) thus describe the 

 method pursued: ''Flamingoes are always shy and watchful 

 birds, and their great height gives them a commanding view of 

 threatening dangers; but there are degrees in intensity of wild- 

 ness, and despite the unquestionable difficulty of flamingo-shooting, 

 we would certainly not place these long-necked birds in the first 

 rank among impracticable wild-fowl. Wild geese, for example, 

 many of the duck-tribe, and nearly all the larger raptores far 

 exceed them in incessant vigilance and downright astuteness. 

 Flamingoes, however, will not, as a rule, permit of approach by 

 the ordinary Spanish method of the stalking-horse, or cabresto\ 

 while the treacherous pony is still two gunshots away, the warning 

 croak of the sentries is given, and at once the whole herd start to 

 walk away, opening out their ranks as they move off. The method 

 we found most effective to secure them was by partially surrounding 

 a herd with a line of mounted men, who rode far out beyond them 

 and then drove them over our two guns, each concealed behind 

 his horse and crouching knee-deep in water. Of all the dirty 

 work that wild-fowling in its many forms necessitates, this fla- 

 mingo-driving takes the palm. It is mud-larking pure and simple, 

 man, horse, and gun alike encased in a clinging argillaceous 

 covering like the street-Arab amphibians below London Bridge. 

 It is a fine sight to see a big flight of flamingoes, say five hundred, 

 coming well in to the gun entrando bien a la escopeta\ The whole 

 sky is streaked with columns of strange forms, and the still air 

 resounds with the babel of discordant croaks and cries. How 

 wondrously they marshal those long uniform files, bird behind 

 bird, without break or confusion, and how precisely do those 

 thousand black wing-points beat in rapid regular unison! Fla- 

 mingoes are not ' hard ' birds : their feathers being loose and 

 open, and the extremely long neck a specially vulnerable part, 

 they may be brought down from a considerable height even with 

 small shot." 



REPTILES (REPTILIA) HUNTED IN SPORT 



About the only Reptile that can be considered as furnishing 

 anything in the nature of sport is the American Alligator 



