346 



(J. f. O. 1865, p. 318): — "The number of Flamingoes which inhabit the lakes of Cagliari is 

 extremely large ; but from January till April 1863 they were not so abundant as usual, and it 

 was with difficulty that I could obtain three specimens. They arrive about the middle of August, 

 and take their departure in March or the first days of April. Where do they go to breed 1 If 

 they obeyed the ordinary laws of migration, it seems they would have to go to more northern 

 countries ; however, the number of those which breed at the mouth of the river Rhone is said to 

 be very small, whilst the number of those which leave Sardinia is very large. Besides, when 

 they arrive in August, they never come from the north, but from a direction which makes one 

 believe that they come from Africa. This is also confirmed by La Marmora in his ' Voyage to 

 Sardinia,' and before him by Cetti." According to Mr. A. B. Brooke (Ibis, 1873, p. 34), " Large 

 flocks of Flamingoes are to be seen all the winter through on the ' stagnos' of Scaffa and Quarto, 

 which lie one on each side of Cagliari, moving backwards and forwards from one to another, 

 according as they are disturbed. They also visit in considerable numbers some of the larger 

 lagoons round Oristano. I was greatly surprised to find, as late as the 7th of June 1871, a flock 

 of from five to six hundred of these birds still remaining about the stagno of Quarto, near 

 Cagliari ; and during the several days I watched them they showed no signs of restlessness, nor 

 any desire to change their quarters, but seemed in every way to have settled for the summer. I 

 was informed by Signor Cara (whom I always found most courteous and obliging in giving me 

 any information he possessed) that it was extremely unusual for such a large number to remain 

 during the summer, but that a few invariably did so. They certainly do not breed there now, 

 as a sharp look-out is kept for their nests, and they could not escape observation. Amongst the 

 flock I noticed as many adult birds as young ; otherwise I should have imagined it was only the 

 young birds of the previous year that remained during summer. Early in the day the flock was 

 scattered all about the stagno in small parties of forty or fifty, feeding round the shores ; but 

 towards three or four o'clock in the afternoon they all collected in one long line, extending quite 

 a quarter of a mile, near the centre of the stagno, where they slept with their heads under their 

 wings. They were extremely wild and shy, rising a long way off, with loud harsh cries." 



Mr. C. A. Wright says that it is merely an accidental visitor to Malta, where it has been 

 generally seen in June. One was shot in May 1860, two in the winter of 1867-68 at the Salini, 

 one late in March 1869 at Marsa Scala, and one on the 22nd of August 1870 at the Salini. The 

 specimen killed in 1869 belonged to the small race which is generally found in North Africa. 



Lord Lilford says that a birdstuffer at Corfu informed him that one was shot on the race- 

 course of that town, but he himself never met with it. Dr. Kriiper informs me it is of very 

 rare occurrence in Greece ; and in Turkey it appears also to be uncommon. It has been met 

 with near Trieste ; but I do not know of its occurrence on the Danube. 



In Southern Russia the Flamingo is said to be rare on the shores of the Black Sea, but more 

 abundant along those of the Caspian. Rickbeil says that it is sometimes seen near Sarepta. 

 Formerly it used to be very numerous at the mouth of the Volga, but has of late years become 

 scarce. It is said to be common near the mouth of the Emba and on the shores of a gulf in the 

 Caspian called Mertvoi-Koultouk. 



In Asia Minor it is rare ; but it is tolerably numerous in Palestine. Canon Tristram 

 writes (Ibis, 1868, p. 327): — "We were rather surprised at bringing down a Flamingo (Phoeni- 



