170 



ûiorc, where the female usually lays eight white eggs 

 in a hole which she makes in the sand. 



The^iz;7zi;7^o (phaenicopterus Chilensis) is one of 

 the most beautiful birds of Chili. It frequents only 

 the fresh waters, and is distinguished by its size and 

 the beautiful flame-colour of its back and wings, 

 which produces a most pleasing effect when con- 

 trasted with the pure white of the rest of its plumage. 

 Its length, from the tip of the bill to the end of the 

 claws,' is five feet, but the body itself does not ex- 

 ceed a foot in length ; it has a small oblong head, 

 decorated with a kind of crest; the eyes are small 

 but lively; the bill denticulated, a little bent towards 

 the point, about five inches long, and covered with a 

 reddish pellicle ; the feet have four toes, three for- 

 ward and one behind ; the tail is short and rounded, 

 and the wings are of a length proportioned to the size 

 of its body ; the quills are perfectly white, whik those 

 of the flamingos of the other parts of America and 

 of Africa, are black. It has been said, thatwhea 

 young ' these birds are grey ; but as I have myself 

 seen them of all ages, I can assert that they are 

 always of the sarne colour. It is also said that when- 

 ever these birds feed, one of the flock is placed as a 

 centinel, to givè the alarm in case of danger to the 

 others. This circùmstance I have never witnessed ; 

 it is, however, true, that they are extremely wild, 

 and can rarely be approached within gun-shot. As 

 the legs of this bird are too long to permit it conve- 

 niently to cover its nest, it is compelled to obviate 

 this inconvenience by the position of the latter ; this 

 is usually constructed at the edge of the water, in 



