116 © NATURAL HISTORY, ! 
fo bright a fcarlet, as to dazzle the fight; and the 
Jong feathers are of the deepeft black; the beak is: 
blue, exceptithe tip, which is black, and fo fingular in 
fhape,as to appear broken; the legs and thighs,. 
which are not much thicker than a’ man’s finger, are # . 
about two feet eight inches in !ength 3 and the neck 
nearly three feet more ; the toes are’ webbed, like 
' thofe of the duck, which enables -it to fwim for the 
prefervation of its life, which would be -otherwife 
jometimes in danger, by the fudden rife of wind and 
water, while ftanding to a great depth in fearch of 
prey, by carrying it out to iea, where it might perifh 
tor want of fubfittence. ; nth : 
* A aith of flamingo’s tongues, Dampier fays, is-a 
feait for an emperor. 3 maa tT | 
* Flamingos always goin flocks, and are found in 
vaft numbers in Canada. “Their nefts are formed of 
mud, refembling. very much our chimney pots. 
When the female lays her eggs, fhe fits aftride the 
neit, vith her legs hanging in the water. 
. *€ Thofe who admire,” jays a learned w , §* the 
wonderful means, by which the God of nature has 
contrived, that thofe animals, which he has endued 
with a leffer principle than reafon, fhould provide 
themfelves with food, and fecure their exiftence, 
during a life in which they. are liable to innumerable 
accidents, would add a great deal to the meafure of 
their furprife, did they comprehend the variety of 
thofe means.” = ° 
\ 
— Soe ERE M GHG — 
AVOSETTA, ox SCOOPER. - 
Tae avofetta is diftinguifhed from all other birds, 
“h the’ bill, which turns up inftead of down, bein 
about three inches anda half in length, compreffed 
very thin, and of a flexible fubftance, réfembling 
Da 
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ee ee ee re 
% «tis en tire ++o- 
