INDIAN DUCKS. 



Suborder PH CEN I C O PTERI. 



Family PHCENICOPTERID^. 



(1) PHOENICOPTERUS ROSEUS. 

 THE FLAMINGO. 



Phcenicopterus roseus, Sulvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 12 ; Jenlon, B. I. iii, 

 p. 775; Hume, Cat. no. 944; id. Sir. Feath. i, p. 257: Butler, ibid, iv, 

 p. 25; Fairbanl; ibid. p. 264; ButJer, ibid, v, p. 234; Davids. 4' Wend. 

 ibid.\'n, p. 92; Murray, ibid. p. 112; Vidal, ibid, ix, p. 91; Butler, 

 ibid. p. 436 ; LegcfC, B. of Ceij. p. 1092 ; Reid, Str. Feath. x, p. 78 ; 

 Davidson, ibid. p. 325 : Hume, ibid. p. 513 ; Lester, Jour. B. N. H. S. 

 viii, p. 553; id. ibid, xi, p. 331; Fleming, ibid, xii, p. 216; Blanford, 

 Fauyia B. I. iv, p. 408. 



Phcenicopterus antiquorum, Ihune, Str. Feath. vii, p. 491 ; Barnes, B. of 

 Bom. p. 392. 



Phcenicopterus andersoni. Ilame, Str. Feath. iii. ]). 414. 



Description. Adult male. — Whole plumage, with tlie exceptions noted, a 

 beautiful rosy-white, the rose-colour much more developed on the tail and 

 rather more on the head and neck ; primarv-coverts nearly or quite white, other 

 wing-coverts and innermost secondaries light rose-red ; primaries and outer 

 secondaries black ; under wing-coverts and axillaries scarlet ; under median and 

 primary-coverts black. 



Oi'bital skin flesh-pink to bright red ; irides lemon-yellow, pale yellow, or pale 

 golden yellow (Jerdon) ; hill bright flesh-coloured, edge of mandible and terminal 

 portion of bill black ; legs and feet pinkish-red, claws black. 



Length varies from 44 to 53 inches, wing 15-15 to 17*5, tail 6 to 7*5, tarsus 

 about 13, bare part of the tibia 9, culmen 5-5 to 6-4, depth (^of bill) at centre 1-5. 

 {Legge, B. of Ceglon.) 



Female. — Similar to the male, the rose-colour on head, neck, and back often 

 less pi'onounced, but not always so. Length from 38 to 48 inches, wing 14*3 to 

 15'8, tail 5'5 to 6-8, tarsus about 10*5 to 11 "5, bare tibia about 7, culmen 4-75 

 to 5-6. 



Young. — Head, neck, and lo\^er plumage white, more or less tinged with 

 rosy-buff; back and wing-coverts ashy-buff, with dark shaft-stripes ; the greater 

 coverts more brown, but with pale tips soon wearing off; under ^ing-coverts and 

 axillaries pale pink. Bill more dull than in adult ; legs dark plumbeous. 



Nestling. — White down, more or less tinged with grey, especially on the 

 upper parts ; down in texture like that on a young swan (Dressi-r). In the 

 nestling the bill is perfectly straight, but soon assumes the normal shape. 



DEI 



