828 
BIRD-LIFE. 
black. Take the entire class to which the Flamingo 
belongs, and you will not find another bird resembling it 
either in form or colour. The size varies: I have 
examined males which measured four feet in length, and 
almost five and a half across the wings; whereas I have 
also measured females scarcely three feet six inches long 
by five in breadth, without mentioning birds which were 
much smaller. 
Our extraordinary friend is a native of the countries 
bordering the Mediterranean, but is more often met with 
to the south and eastward than to the north and west. 
There exist allied species, both in South Africa and 
America. All of these species frequent the shores of the 
coast, as well as the salt lakes and swamps of the lands 
they inhabit; except when they are perforce driven 
inland, such as those which have been shot on the Rhein 
and Lake Constance. During the summer Flamingos 
live in pairs, and in the winter they assemble in immense 
flocks, when they do not permit any other bird to intrude 
on their privacy. After breeding and moulting one may see 
them arriving at their favourite localities in endless strings. 
The different families collect together in troops, and seek 
a suitable spot wherein to pass the winter sociably together. 
In the spring they again separate for the purpose of 
breeding, the immature individuals amongst them alone 
remain wandering in a purposeless manner about the 
country. 
Flamingos are rarely met with on reedy or sedgy 
shores, but more generally by sheets of open water: they 
usually stand with a considerable portion of their legs 
immersed in the water, seldom alighting on the lesser 
islands or stepping ashore. They walk pretty well on 
land, though their movements are somewhat unstable: 
