THE FLAMINGO 
Phoenicopterus antiquorum 
Arabic, Basharoush 
On the head, neck, and body, in the adult, a delicate 
coral pink tints all the white: in younger birds these parts 
are pure white; large wing-feathers black, all the rest various 
tones of red, from a delicate rose to the deepest crimson ; in 
young birds the wings are of an ashy brown; legs and base 
of bill in the adult a pink with a somewhat leaden hue; in 
young birds legs leaden ; tip of bill black ; eyes, straw-yellow. 
Total length, 45 faces, 
IF it were not for zoological collections few of us 
would be as familiar with the form of this strange 
bird as we are—for though there are thousands and 
thousands of them in Egypt, it is generally only 
seen when flying in great flocks high overhead, 
and it does not often give a chance of a close 
inspection. But owing to its peculiarities it is 
always a favourite, and young as well as old are 
interested in its extraordinary length of leg and 
neck, and charmed with its brilliant rosy-red 
plumage, so that all know something of its 
appearance if they do not know much of its life- 
history. The Flamingo loves most of all shallow 
water, and lives nearly all its days in the great 
brackish lakes of Lower Egypt. 
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