PHOEXICOPTERUS. 185 



116. Phoenicopterus ruber. 



Flamingo. 



Phoenicopterus ruher Linn. Srst. Nat. 10th ed. i. p. 139, 1758 (Jamaica, 

 Cuba, and Bahamas); Cab. in Schomb. Reis. Gruian. iii. p. 761, 1818 ; 

 Salvin, Ibis, 1886, p. 172 ; Salvad. Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 9, 

 1895 ; Llovd, Timehri (2) xi. p. 6, 1897 (Waini Creek) ; Gates, 

 Cat. Birds' Eggs Brit. Mus. ii. p. 136, 1902 (Savanas of British 

 Guiana); Beebe, Gur Search for a Wilderne.ss, p. 231. 1910(Marooka); 

 Brabom-ne & Chubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 53, no. 493, 1912. 



Adult. General colour pale vermilion which varies in the 

 intensity of colour on different portions of the body ; axillaries 

 bright scarlet ; primary and secondarj^ quills black ; greater under 

 wing-coverts black. Bill yellow^ tip black ; tarsi and feet lake 

 red ; iris brown. 



Total length 960 mm., culmen 111, wing 350, tail 145, 

 tarsus 260. 



The bird described was collected on the Barima River. 



Breeding-season. August {Lloyd). 



Nest. " Resembles a large yam heap, and is composed of vege- 

 taljle substances thrown up by the sea. It is about two feet high 

 and shaped like a truncated cone^' {Lloyd). 



Juigs. " Have thick chalky- white shells, are a little longer than 

 those of a Goose, and seem to be from two to three in number" 



[l-loyd). 



Range in British Guiana. Barima River {McConiiell collection) ; 

 Marooka (Beebe) ; Waini River {Llogd). 



Bxtralimital Range. Northern Brazil, AVest India Islands, 

 South-east United States, Central America, Galapagos Islands. 



Habits. Schomburgk (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 761) says that this bird 

 breeds in British Guiana, but is only found on the coast at irregular 

 intervals and generally on the sand-banks at the moutlis of the 

 oceanic rivers. 



Mr. C. A. Lloyd (Timehri (2) xi. p. 6) observed this species 

 in British Guiana, and remarks : — " The seashore of the Waini 

 Creek is one of the known breeding-places of the Flamingo, 

 Pluenicopterus ruber, in this country. The nest resembles a large 

 yam heap, and is composed of vegetable substances tlnown up by 

 the sea. It is about two feet high and shaped like a truncated 

 cone. The eggs are laid in August and have thick chalky-wliite 

 shells. Tlieyare a little longer than those of a Goose and seem to 

 he fiom two to three in number." 



