64 Mr. C.J. Andersson on the two Flamingoes of South Africa. 



IV. — Note on the two Flamingoes of South Africa. 

 By C. J. Andersson. 



1. Phcenicopterus erythrjEits, Verreaux. 



This Flamingo is very abundant at Walvisch Bay, Sandwich 

 Harbour, Angra Pequena, the mouth of the Orange River, and 

 probably in many other places on the south-west coast of South 

 Africa — at least to the north of Walvisch Bay ; it is also met 

 with in a few inland localities, such as Lake Ngami, Lake 

 Onandova, &c. With rare exceptions (and these not well au- 

 thenticated, but merely surmised from birds being sometimes 

 found barely able to fly), the Flamingoes do not breed in any of 

 the coast-localities above named, nor do I know where they go 

 to nest. All that I myself have observed, or otherwise can 

 learn, is, that on the approach of the breeding-season they all 

 wing their way to the northward ; and it is very probable that 

 they breed on some of the less accessible and less disturbed 

 lagoons and shallows rumoured to exist between Walvisch Bay 

 and Great Fish Bay. The old birds always return first. 



The Flamingoes are invariably well-conditioned, and fre- 

 quently enormously fat ; their chief food consists of small Crus- 

 tacea, sea-animalcula, sea-grass, &c. They are good eating, 

 more especially the young birds ; but, having a rather strong 

 fishy flavour, they require to be well cooked and spiced ; they 

 ought also to be cleansed of all fatty matter, and perhaps eat 

 best when served up in pies or curries. 



In the newly fledged bird the bill and legs are of a very dark 

 purple, so much so as to give these parts, at a little distance, 

 the appearance of being quite black. 



The head, neck, throat, and breast are greyish, with the shafts 

 of the feathers dusky, the back of the neck being darkest in hue, 

 and gradually deepening in shade as it approaches the back. 

 The wing-coverts, scapulars, and upper parts of the back are 

 yellowish grey ; spurious wings pinkish, the feathers for about 

 half an inch from the ends being a dirty light yellowish brown ; 

 primaries and secondaries dark brown; tertials white at the base, 

 gradually shading ofi" into yellowish grey. Upper parts of the 

 belly dusky white, or nearly so; the under wing-coverts pale 



