440 



The Living Animals of the World 



Photo hij aiarh.s Knujkt] 



[Aldcrshot. 

 FLAMINGOES. 



On account of the swan-like neck and " strainers" along the edges of the beak, these birds 

 have been regarded iia long-legged members of the Duck Tribe, but they seem more nearlj' related 

 to the Storks. 



that before they are hatched 

 the water has disappeared, 

 leaving a burning plain 

 of sun-baked mud. On 

 the top of this nest 

 the parent sits with its 

 long neck neatly curled 

 away among the back- 

 feathers, with its long legs 

 doubled up, and projecting 

 behind her for some dis- 

 tance beyond the tail. 

 Until quite recently it was 

 believed that the bird incu- 

 bated its eggs by sitting 

 ((■stride the nest, the length 

 of the legs forbidding any 

 other position- : this has 

 now been proved beyond 

 cavil to be an entirely 

 erroneous opinion. 



The eggs, two in 

 number, are peculiar in that 



they are encased in a thick outer chalky coat, which on removal reveals a greenish-blue shell. 

 The characteristic crooked beak of the adult is not at all apparent in the young bird, 



and only ajDpears as it approaches maturity. 



The huge flocks in which these birds consort are graphically described by Mr. Abel 



Chapman as follows: "In herds of 300 to 400, several of which are often in sight at ; once, 



they stand feeding in the open water, all their heads under, greedily tearing up the grasses 



and water-plants from the bottom. On approaching them, which can only be done by extreme 



caution, their silence is first 



broken by the sentries, who 



commence walking away with 



low croaks ; then hundreds of 



necks rise at once to full 



extent, e\'ery bird gaggling 



its loudest, as they walk 



obliquely away, looking back 



over their shoulders, as tliough 



to take stock of the extent 



of the danger. Pushing a 



few yards forward, uji they all 



rise, and a more beautiful 



sight cannot be imagined than 



the simultaneous spreading of 



the crimson wings, flashing 



against the sky like a gleam 



of rosy liglit. In many 



respects tliese birds bear a 



strong resemblance to geese. puoto bu ir. y. du.uIo. f.z.h.] 



Like them, flamingoes feed europkan flamingoes. 



by day ; and great quantities ,,,^^ ,,^,^ ^,.^^^ .^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^.^ 



llieyenfs Park. 



