ORDER GRALLiE. 419 



ness of the tongue, gives to these birds some analogy 

 with the ducks. The flamingos might even be 

 placed among the palmipedes, but for the length of 

 the tarsi and nakedness of the legs. They live on 

 shell-fish, insects, and fishes' eggs, which they get by 

 means of their long neck, and by turning their head 

 round to employ with advantage the crook of their 

 upper bill. They build in the marshes a nest of 

 raised earth, on which they ride astride to hatch 

 their eggs, as their long legs hinder them fi"om adopt- 

 ing any other position. 



The common species. 



Red Flamingo. Phcenicopterus Ruber, Enl. 68. 



Is sometimes more than six feet in height, and, from 

 bill to tail, above four feet long ; it is ash-coloured, 

 with brownish shades the first year, and in the second, 

 rose-colour begins to appear on the wings ; in the 

 third year, the back is always purple-red, and the 

 wings roseate. The wing-quills are black, the bill 

 yeUow, and black at the end, and the feet brown. 



This species is extended over the whole ancient 

 continent below 40". Numerous flocks of it are seen 

 every year on our southern coasts. They sometimes 

 ascend even towards the Rhine. 



M. Temminck thinks that the flamingo of Ame- 

 rica, altogether of a bright-red, WQs. Am. viii. QQ, 

 and Catesb. 73, differs in species from that of the 

 old world. 



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