THE FLAMINaO. 



317 



The Palmidactyles 



Have the anterior toes united by a wide membrane ; the hind toe 

 is absent, or is very small; the legs are very long and smooth ; from 

 their webbed feet they may appear to belong to the Palmipedes, but 

 the arrangement of their toes is altogether different, and consti- 

 tutes them most strikingly characteristic of the order of Waders. 



The Flamingo is one of the most curious of the tribe of Waders. 

 The most fanciful imagination woidd fail in picturing to itself 



Fig. 114. — The American Flamingoes (P. rubers Wilson). 



anything more odd than the conformation of this bird. Ex- 

 tremely long legs, supporting quite a small body ; a neck corre- 

 sponding in length with the legs ; a bill rather long than 

 otherwise, sharply curved and broken, as it were, in the middle, 

 contrived probably to discourage those who are tempted to 

 describe it; wings of a middling size, and a short tail — such 

 are the distinctive features of this remarkable-looking bird. The 

 long legs terminate in equally long feet, with three toes in front 



