PHQBNICOPTEKIDa; PHCENICOPTERUS 111 



legged, as at one time was thought to be the case. Sitting birds, 

 observed in this position, were figured by Mr. Chapman in the Ibis 

 for 1884. 



The eggs, it is said, are usually two in number ; they are white, 

 nearly equally rounded at both ends, and the surface is without 

 gloss, rather rough and wrinkled. One, mentioned by Layard 

 as having been obtained from Miss Boonzaier, of Hoetjes Bay, 

 is still preserved in the South African Museum ; it measures 

 3-7 X 2-30. 



The Flamingo is generally covered with a thick layer of fat, and 

 is excellent eating. 



610. Phoenicopterus minor. Lesser Flamingo. 



Phoenicopterus minor, Oeoffr., Bull. Soc. PJiilom. i, 2, no. 13, p. 98, 

 figs. 1, 2, 3, on plate (1797) ; Strickland and P. L. Sclater, Contrib. 

 Ornith. p. 159 (1852) ; Andersson, Ibis, 1865, p. 65 ; Layard, B. S. 

 Afr. p. 345 (1867) ; Grazj, Ibis, 1869, pp. 440, 2, pi. xv, fig. 8 ; Gurneij 

 in Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 333 (1872) ; Sharpe, cd. Layard's 

 B. S. Afr. p. 745 (1884) ; FlecJc, Journ. Ornith. 1894, p. 387 ; Shelley 

 B. Afr. i, p. 170 (1896) ; Beichenow, Vdg. Afr. i, p. 352 (1901). 



Phoenicopterus parvus, Vieill, Analyst; p. 69 (1816) ; Kirk, Ibis, 1864, 

 p. 335. 



? Phoenicopterus erythrajus, Holub §• Peheln, Orn. Siid-Afr. p. 305 

 (1882). 



Phoenioonaias minor, Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 18 (1895) ; Wood- 

 ■ward Bros., Natal B. p. 207 (1899). 



Description. Adult MaZe.— Considerably smaller than P. roseus 

 but in plumage closely resembling it ; the general colour white 

 washed with rosy, the primaries and secondaries black, the wings 

 generally, including the primary coverts and axillaries rosy, the 

 median coverts bright crimson in their centres. Very old birds 

 have the feathers of the back and breast with mesial crimson 

 streaks. 



Iris red or orange ; bill dark lake-red with black tip ; legs and 



feet red. 



Length about 39-0 ; wing 140 ; tail 50 ; culmen 4-5 ; tarsus 8-5. 



The female resembles the male but is less bright and has no 

 crimson mesial stripes on the back and breast. A young bird is 

 pale brown, all the feathers with dark brown shaft marks, especially 

 on the back and wings; the axillaries alone show a slight rosy 

 tint ; the bill and legs plumbeous. 



