348 



males rejoin their mates in November, accompanied by the young of the previous year; the 

 young of the year are never seen here. They are met with in large flocks on the lakes, always 

 staying in the water, though they never swim about, and are very wary and difficult to approach. 

 The only month in which they are entirely absent is July. Their temporary absence during 

 other months is regulated by the quantity of water in the lakes ; and as one month is not 

 sufficient time for them to lay and hatch their eggs, they ought to nest not far from Tangier : 

 indeed an old chasseur, worthy of belief, informed me that he had shot one which, when it fell, 

 dropped an egg in the water." It is a rare straggler also to the islands of the west coast of 

 Africa; for Dr. Bolle states (J. f. 0. 1857, p. 339) that there is a specimen in the Leon collection, 

 killed on Canaria ; and Dr. Dohrn records it (J. f. 0. 1871, p. 9) from the Cape-Verd Islands. On 

 the mainland of Africa the Flamingo ranges south to the Cape colony. Mr. C. J. Andersson says 

 that it is " very abundant at Walvisch Bay, Sandwich Harbour, Angra Pequena, the mouth of the 

 Orange River, and probably in many other places on the south-west coast of South Africa — at 

 least to the north of Walvisch Bay ; it is also met with in a few inland localities, such as Lake 

 Ngami, Lake Onondava, &c. With rare exceptions (and these not well authenticated, but merely 

 surmised from birds being sometimes found barely able to fly) the Flamingoes do not breed in any 

 of the coast-localities above named, nor do 1 know where they go to nest. All that I myself 

 have observed, or otherwise can learn, is that on the approach of the breeding-season they all 

 wing their way to the northward ; and it is very probable that they breed on some of the less 

 accessible and less disturbed lagoons and shallows rumoured to exist between Walvisch Bay and 

 Great Fish Bay. The old birds always return first." According to Mr. E. L. Layard (B. S. Afr. 

 p. 345) this Flamingo " has a wide range throughout South Africa, and has been killed, both in 

 mature and young plumage, at the mouth of the Salt River, close to Cape Town. I am informed 

 that it is very abundant at Verloren Vley at certain seasons ; and many persons have assured me 

 that it breeds there. Mr. Chapman also informs me that both the Flamingos found in South 

 Africa breed on Lake Ngami, forming a large elevated nest of rushes amid the reeds that 

 surround the lake. I saw it in great numbers at the mouth of the river flowing out of Zoetendals 

 Vley in November." A Flamingo is said to occur in Madagascar, and, Captain Sperling says 

 (Ibis, 1868, p. 292), is numerous on the Mozambique flats, but whether the present species or not 

 I cannot say. There is a second species of Flamingo found in Africa, Phcenicopterus minor, 

 Geoffr. (nee Brehm), which differs from the present species by its smaller size and different 

 marking of the wing-coverts, and which has doubtless in many instances been confused with 

 Phcenicoj)terus roseus. 



In Asia the present species is found far into India. Mr. Blanford says (Eastern Persia, ii. 

 p. 300) it is " common on the Baluchistan coast and in the Persian Gulf. In the latter, on 

 one occasion, off the island of Hormuz, I saw a flock swimming in the sea, at least half a mile 

 from the shore. Flamingoes are also said to be common on the Caspian. Major St. John 

 tells me he has seen a flock on the Shiraz plain in May." Dr. Jerdon says, " the Flamingo 

 is found, here and there, throughout India, is very rare in some parts, and is perhaps chiefly 

 found not far from the sea-coast. It is very abundant near Madras, in the Pulicat lake ; also 

 between Madras and Pondicherry, and south towards Tuticoreen ; it is also met with in the 

 Northern Circars, at the great Chilka lake, south of Cuttack, and occasionally near the mouth 



