Flam 



in 



goes 



269 



that separated sea and sky over the greater part of the circle. 

 On examining the different herds narrowly through binoculars, 

 an obvious dissimilarity was discovered in the appearance of 

 certain groups. One or two in particular seemed so much denser 

 than the others ; the narrow white line looked three times as 

 thick, and in the centre gave the idea that the birds were literally 

 piled upon each other. Felipe suggested that these tiamingoes 

 must be at their pajerera, or breeding-place, and after a long 

 wet ride we found that this was the case. The water was very 

 deep, the bottom clinging mud ; at intervals the laboured plung- 

 ing of the mule was exchanged for an easier, gliding motion — he 

 was swimming. The change was a welcome relief to man and 



FLAMINGOES AND THEIR NESTS 



beast ; but the labours undergone during these aquatic rides 

 eventuated in the loss of one fine mule, a powerful beast 

 worth £G0. 



On approach, the cause of the peculiar appearance of the 

 flamingo city from a distance became clearly discernible. 

 Hundreds of birds were sitting down on a low mud-island, 

 hundreds more were standing erect thereon, while others stood 

 in the water alongside. Thus the different elevations of their 

 bodies formed what had appeared a triple or quadruple line. 



On reaching the spot, we found a perfect mass of nests. The 

 low, flat mud-plateau was crowded wuth them as thickly as its 

 space permitted. The nests had little or no height above the 

 dead-level mud — some were raised an inch or two, a few miirht 

 reach four or five inches in height, but the majority were 

 merely circular bulwarks of mud barely raised above the general 



