FLAMINGO. 151 



call the Flamingo the Red Goose, and its Hindustani name also 

 expresses its affinity to the Anserine group. 



1. Phcenicopterus roseus, Pallas. 



P. antiquus, Temminck— Blyth, Cat. 1750— Sykes, Cat. 181 

 — Jerdon, Cat. 373 — also P. minor, apud Jerdon, Cat. 374?— 

 Gould, Birds of Europe pi. 287 — Bag-hans, H., L #., Heron- 

 goose — Baj-hans of some — Kan-thunti, Beng. — Pa-konga, Tel., also 

 Samdrapa chillaka, i. e. } Sea-parrot — Pu-nari, Tarn. 

 The Flamingo. 



Descr. — .Throughout of a rosy white, the rose colour more 

 marked on the head, back, and tail ; wing-coverts, (except the 

 primary-coverts, which are white) and the tertiaries fine rosy red ; 

 quills black, the last of the secondaries white ; lower wing-coverts 

 black. 



Bill rosy, black at the tip ; irides pale golden-yellow; legs 

 and feet pale rosy-red. Length 4 feet 4 inches; wing 16 J; 

 tail 6 ; bill 4 ; tarsus 12 ; mid.-toe 3J. Weight 10 lbs. 



The female is smaller, and the young birds have the upper 

 plumage, especially the wing-coverts, mixed with brown and dusky 

 spots, and hardly any rosy tinge. 



I was at one time inclined to believe in the existence of 

 another species, which, I was informed, visited India during 

 the cold weather in small flocks, and in my Catalogue I called 

 it P. minor, after Temminck. Mr. Blyth was also of opinion that 

 there was a second species (and Bonaparte named it Ph. Blyildi) ; 

 but, in his Catalogue, he gave it as a variety of the other. Tem- 

 minck's bird, from Africa, is figured by him in PL Col. pi. 419, 

 and is stated to be very distinct.* Some specimens in the Museum 

 of the Asiatic Society are distinctly smaller ; the leg shorter, only 9 

 to 10 inches instead of 12 ; but the bill is nearly equally large, and 

 the wing only 1 inch or so shorter. Two of these appear in 

 adult plumage ; and there are others quite similar in dimensions, 

 evidently in younger plumage, and one with a slightly rusty 

 coloured head. All these however are probably females, and 



* Mr. Blyth, however, has quite recently written me that it is very like the small 

 Indian race. 



