322 



FOREIGN BIRDS. 



The Honey-Guide-Cuckoo, from Africa came ; 

 TheFLAMiNGo( 6 ) look'dgay in his garments of flame, 



( 6 ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Flamingo, the Red, the 



Chilese. 



The genus Piicbnicopterus, (Linn.) or Flamingo, consists 

 of two species distinguished by having a naked toothed bill, 

 bent as if broken ; the feet are four-toed, palmate, the mem- 

 branes semicircular on the forepart. 



The Ruber, Flamingo, or Red- Flamingo, is a very remarkable 

 bird, with a body less than that of a goose; but when erect, is 

 six feet high from the lip of the toe to the bill, which is seven 

 inches long, partly red, partly black, and partly crooked ; it per- 

 petually twists its head round when eating,so that the upper man- 

 dible touches the ground. The legs and thighs are slender, not 

 thicker than the fore-finger of a man, yet two feet long ; the 

 neck is also slender, and three feet long. From this extraordi- 

 nary shape, it is able to wade in water to the depth where its 

 food is to be found. The feet are webbed, though it seldom 

 uses them for swimming. Length from bill to tail four feet 

 four inches. The plumage is not less remarkable than its fignre, 

 much of it being of a bright flame-colour, whence its name. 

 Found both in the new and old continents, but in not more than 

 about forty degrees either north or south from the equator. It 

 is found on almost every shore of the Mediterranean — Spain, 

 Italy, &c. ; and in every district of Africa, to the Cape of 

 Good Hope ; in South America, and the West Indies. The 

 nest is made of earth, rising about twenty inches above the 

 water, which always covers its base ; the top of this is a little 

 hollowed out for the reception of the eggs, which are two, 

 white, size of a goose's, upon which the female sits and hatches, 

 perched, as it were, upon her rump, with her legs hanging down 

 like a man sitting upon a stool. This peculiar posture is ne- 

 cessary during her incubation, in consequence of the very great 

 length of the legs. The young never exceed three in number. 



