flamingoes"" nests. 575 



For this reason, as I have suggested, the time of the breeding- season 

 may be regulated by that of the rainy season; the heavy, tropical 

 downpours not only moistening the earth, but doubtless raising the 

 water sufficiently in this exceedingly low, flat country to slightly 

 flood large areas. While the birds, therefore, must build near, or, 

 indeed, in the water, they guard against complete submergence of 

 their home by building it high enough to protect the eg^ from possi- 

 ble danger. The popular conception of a flamingo's nest makes it not 

 more than 6 or 8 inches in diameter at the base, whence it tapers to a 

 truncate, hollowed top nearl}^ 2 feet in height. I saw no nest, how- 

 ever, over 12 inches high, and most of them were not over S inches 

 high. The average basal diameter was about 18 inches, that of the 

 top about 10 inches. 



It is possible that the height of flamingoes' nests, like that of the 

 mid-chimneys to the l)urrows of fiddler crabs, mav depend upon the 

 amount of rise and fall in the neighboring waters. This is a point to 

 be ascertained by subsequent observations. 



Flamingoes are wonderful birds. Their brilliant coloring and large 

 size, habit of perching and flying in files, and the openness of the 

 country which they inhabit, all combine to make a flock of flamingoes 

 one of the most remarkable sights in bird life. Indeed, so far as my 

 experience goes, it is the most remarkable sight in bird life. 



They are very sh}^ and can be approached closel}' only when thev 

 are unaware of your presence. Attempts to use a telephoto lens in 

 photographing birds about 200 yards away failed because of the force 

 of the trade winds over the mangrove flats.. Even at this distance the 

 birds are large enough to make a strip of glowing color, in strong- 

 contrast to the blue water before and the green mangroves behind 

 them. This is near their danger line, and if one attempts to approach 

 more closely without cover there is a sinuous movement along the 

 whole line as the long, slender necks are raised and the birds i-egard 

 the cause of their alarm. Soon a murmur of goose-like honkings 

 comes to one's ear; then the birds ))egin, in slow and stately fashion, 

 to move away step by step, and if their fears are not allayed the 

 leader will soon spring into the air and, followed by other members of 

 the flock, stretch his long neck and legs to the utmost and begin a 

 flight which usually takes them beyond one's view. As the birds raise 

 their wings, displaying the bright feathers below, the efl'ect is superb 

 bej'ond description, the motion showing their plumage to the ])est 

 possible advantage. 



It is surprising how far, under the proper light conditions, even a 

 small flock of flamingoes may be seen. Long after one can distinguish 

 the individual in the waving, undulating line of birds, they show pink 

 against the sky like a rapidly moving wisp of cloud which finally dis- 

 solves in space. 



