FLAMINGO. 



he founds the alarm the whole flock take wing. This bird, when 

 at reft, ftands on one leg, the other being drawn up clofe to the 

 body, with the head placed under the wing on that fide of the 

 body it ftands on. 



The flefh of thefe birds is efteemed pretty good meat, and 

 the young thought by fome equal to that of the Partridge* ■, but 

 t;he greateft dainty is the tongue, which was efteemed by the 

 ancients an exquifite morfel -f\ Are fometimes caught young, and 

 brought up tame i but are ever impatient of cold: and in this 

 ftate will feldom live a great while, gradually lofing their co- 

 lour, flefh, and appetite, and dying for want of that food which 

 in a ftate of nature at large they were abundantly fupplied 

 with. 



* Commonly fat, and accounted delicate. — Davies Hifl. Barlad. p. 88. 



The inhabitants of Prove/ice always throw away the flefh, as it tafles fifhy ; and 

 only make ufe of the feathers as ornaments to other birds at particular enter- 

 tainments. — Dillon Tra<v. p. 374. extr. 



f See Plin. 1. x. cap. 48. — Martial fays thus of it, Lib. xiii. ep. 71. 



" Dat mih ; penna rubens nomen, fed lingua gulofis 

 Noflra fapit : quid fi garrula lingua foret ?" 



303 



* * W I T H 



