832 
BIRD-LIFE. 
upright, whilst the others remain fast asleep with their 
heads under their wings. The man now noiselessly 
enters the water, stripped, and—half swimming, half 
crawling—approaches the watchman under cover of a 
bundle of rushes, which he pushes before him; lays hold 
of him suddenly, pulls his head and neck under water, 
where he at once wrings it; the hunter’s companions 
now seize upon some few of the sleepers, serve them the 
same, and hang them up. I would not have believed this 
story had I been otherwise able to account for the products 
of their chase. 
It is highly probable that the Bomans were acquainted 
with similar modes of capturing these birds, of which 
such large numbers used to be served up at a single feast; 
indeed, entire dishes are said to have been handed round 
whose principal ingredients consisted of the tongues and 
brains of Flamingos. That these form a most delicate 
dish I have proved to my own entire satisfaction. 
Nowadays Flamingos may be seen in all the larger 
zoological gardens, and in some cases in regular flocks. 
They are, however, still rather dear, though easy to keep, 
and, being show-birds, ought not to be wanting. 
