RED FLAMINGO. 
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head, neck, wings, tail, and the under parts of the 
body are of a beautiful red, most brilliant on the 
wings : the back and scapulars are of a rosy-red : the 
quills are deep black : the secondary feathers are very 
long, and reach considerably over the quills : the legs 
are deep red. The female is smaller, and the plumage 
is less brilliant in colour. The young, previous to 
moulting, have all the plumage ash-coloured, with 
the secondaries and tail nearly black. After the first 
year they become of a dirty white, with the seconda- 
ries dusky brown, edged with white : the bases of the 
wing-coverts are white tinged with rose colour, and 
tipped with black : the tail-feathers are irregularly 
spotted with dusky brown : the base of the beak is 
livid : at this period their length is about three feet. 
After two years the wings become of a deeper red, 
and the plumage is more tinged with rose colour; 
and in the third year the plumage is fully coloured. 
These birds inhabit the warm climates of Africa, 
Asia, and America, and occasionally migrate into the 
southern parts of Europe, being sometimes met with 
at Marseilles, and in Spain and Italy. Except in 
breeding time they are generally found in flocks, and 
at a distance appear like a regiment of soldiers : their 
food consists principally of small fish and water in- 
sects, which they take by plunging their beak and 
part of their head into the water, and from time to 
time trampling the bottom with their feet, to disturb 
the mud in order to raise up their prey : when feeding 
they are said to twist their neck in such a manner, 
that the upper part of the beak is applied to the 
ground ; during this time they are silent, and one of 
