Flamingoes 269 
that separated sea and sky over the greater part of the circle. 
On examining the different herds narrowly through binoculars, 
an obvious dissimilarity was discovered in the appearance of 
certain groups. One or two in particular seemed so much denser 
than the others; the narrow white line looked three times as 
thick, and in the centre gave the idea that the birds were literally 
piled upon each other. Felipe suggested that these tlamingoes 
must be at their pajeréra, or breeding-place, and after a long 
wet ride we found that this was the case. The water was very 
deep, the bottom clinging mud; at intervals the laboured plung- 
ing of the mule was exchanged for an easier, gliding motion—he 
was swimming. The change was a welcome relief to man and 
FLAMINGOES AND THEIR NESTS 
beast; but the labours undergone during these aquatic rides 
eventuated in the loss of one fine mule, a powerful beast 
worth £60. 
On approach, the cause of the peculiar appearance of the 
flamingo city from a distance became clearly discernible. 
Hundreds of birds were sitting down on a low mud-island, 
hundreds more were standing erect thereon, while others stood 
in the water alongside. Thus the different elevations of their 
bodies formed what had appeared a triple or quadruple line. 
On reaching the spot, we found a perfect mass of nests. The 
low, flat mud-plateau was crowded with them as thickly as its 
space permitted. The nests had little or no height above the 
dead-level mud—some were raised an inch or two, a few might 
reach four or five inches in height, but the majority were 
merely circular bulwarks of mud barely raised above the general 
