PHCENICOPTERIDJC. 775 



call the Flamingo the Red Goose, and its Hindustani name also 



expresses its affinity to the Anserine group. 



944. Phcenicopterus roseus, Pallas. 



P. antiquus, Temminck — Blyth, Cat. 1750 — Sykes, Cat. 181 

 — Jerdon, Cat. 373 — also P. minor, apud Jerdon, Cat. 374?— 

 Gould, Birds of Europe pi. 287 — Bag-hans, H., i. e., Heron- 

 goose — Raj-hans of some — Kan-thunti, Beng. — Pu-honga, Tel., also 

 Samdrapa chilluka, i. e., Sea-parrot — Pu-nari, Tam. 



The Flamingo. 



Descr. — Throughout of a rosy white, the rose colour more 

 marked on the head, back, and tail ; wing-coverts, (except the 

 primary-coverts, which are white) and the tertiaries fine rosy red; 

 quills black, the last of the secondaries white ; lower wing-coverts 

 black. 



Bill rosy, black at the tip ; irides pale golden-yellow; legs 

 and feet pale rosy-red. Length 4 feet 4 inches; wing 16^; 

 tail 6 ; bill 4 ; tarsus 12 ; mid. -toe 3^. Weight 10 lbs. 



The female is smaller, and the young birds have the upper 

 plumage, especially the wing-coverts, mixed with brown and dusky 

 spots, and hardly any rosy tinge. 



I was at one time inclined to believe in the existence of 

 another species, which, I was informed, visited India during 

 the cold weather in small flocks, and in my Catalogue I called 

 it P. minor, after Temminck. Mr. Blyth was also of opinion that 

 there was a second species (and Bonaparte named it Ph. Biythii) ; 

 but, in his Catalogue, he gave it as a variety of the other. Tem- 

 minck's bird, from Africa, is figured by him in PL Col. pi. 419, 

 and is stated to be very distinct."* Some specimens in the Museum 

 of the Asiatic Society are distinctly smaller ; the leg shorter, only 9 

 to 10 inches instead of 12 ; but the bill is nearly equally large, and 

 the wing only 1 inch or so shorter. Two of these appear in 

 adult plumage ; and there are others quite similar in dimensions, 

 evidently in younger plumage, and one with a slightly rusty 

 coloured head. All these however are probably females, and 



* Mr. Blyth, however, has quite recently written me that it is very like the small 

 Indian race. 



