BOSY FLAMINGO. 37 



GRALLATOEES. 



Family/ PHMNICOPTERID^. (Bonaparte.) 



Genus Ph^nicopterus. (Linnceus.J 



Generic Characters. — Beak thick, strong, deeper than broad, toothed, 

 conical near the point, naked at the base; superior mandible bent abruptly, 

 and curved at the point, upon the lower mandible; lower mandible much 

 deeper and thicker than the upper. Nostrils longitudinal, in the middle 

 of the beak, pierced from side to side, situated in a furrow, and covered 

 by an opercular membrane. Legs very long; the three anterior toes united 

 nearly to the claws by a membrane hollowed out in front; the hind toe 

 very short, and articulated on the tarsus at a point opposite to the 

 articulation of the middle toe; claws broad, short, obtuse; wings moderate; 

 tail short ; neck very long. 



EOSY FLAMINGO. 



Phcenicopterus antiqiwrum. 



Phcenicopterus antiquorum, Temminck; Man. d'Orn. ii, p. 587, (1820.) 



" ruber, Linn^us; (in part) Syst. Nat. i, p. 139, 



(1766.) 



" roseus, Pallas ; Zoogr. Ross. As., ii, p. 207, (183 1.) 



" europoeus, Swainson ; Classif. B., ii, p. 364, (1837.) 



Flammani rose, Of the French. 



Europaischer Flamingo, Of the Germans. 



Fenicottera, Of the Italians. 



Specific Characters. — General plumage rosy; wing coverts bright rosy red; 

 primaries black. Length four feet; wing from carpus to tip fifteen inches; 

 length of neck twenty-four inches ; length of beak four inches ; bare part 

 of tibia nine inches; tarsus twelve inches; middle toe three inches and a 

 half. 



The Flamingo is a well-known bird in the south of Europe, 

 The European species, which is found also in North Africa, was 



