Flamingoes for the moft part keep together in flocks; and now
and then are feen in great numbers together, except in breedingtime.
Dampier mentions having, with two more in company,
killed fourteen at once; but this was effected by fecreting them-
felves, for they are very fhy birds, and will by no means fuffer
any one to approach openly near enough to fhoot them *. Kol-
ben obferves that they are very numerous at the Cape, keeping in
the day on the borders of the lakes and rivers, and lodging them-
'felves of nights in the long grajs on the hills. They are like-
wife common to various places in the warmer parts o f America,
frequenting the fame latitudes as in other quarters of the world ;
being met with in Peru and Chili, Cayenne f , and the coaft of
Brajil, as well as the various iflands of the IVeft Indies. Sloane
found them in Jamaica-, but particularly at the Bahama iflands,
and that of Cuba, where they breed. When feen at a distance
they appear as a regiment of Joldiers, being ranged along-
fide one another on the borders of the rivers Searching for
food, which chiefly confifts of Small fifh or the eggs of them,
and of ‘watcr-infedis, which they fearch after by plunging in
the bill and part of the head, from time to time trampling
with their feet to muddy the water, that their prey may be raifed
from thé bottom. In feeding are faid to twift the neck in fuch a
manner that the upper part of the bill is applied to the ground § :
during this one of them is faid to Hand centinel, and the moment
* Davies talks of the gunner difguiiing himfelf in an Ox's hide, and by this
means getting within gun-ihot__Hijl. Barbad, p. 88.
t Called there by the name of Ttscoco.
X Small Jhell-jiJh.— Gefner.
§ Linneeus, Brijfon.
he
he founds the alarm the whole flock take wing. This bird, when
at reft, Hands on one leg, the other being drawn up clofe to the
body, with the head placed under the wing on that fide of the
body it Stands on.
The flefh of thefe birds is efteemed pretty good meat, and
the young thought by fome equal to that of the Partridge* ; but
the greateft dainty is the tongue, which was efteemed by the
ancients an exquifite morfel f . Are Sometimes caught young, and
brought up tame ; but are ever impatient of cold : and in this
ftate will feldom live a great while, gradually lofing their colour,
flefh, and appetite, and dying for want of that food which
in a ftate of nature at large they were abundantly Supplied
with.
* Commonly fat, and accounted delicate.— Davies Hiß. Barbad. p. 88.— ,
The inhabitants of Provence always throw away, the fleih, as it taftes filhy ; and
only make ufe of the feathers as ornaments to other birds at particular entertainments.—
Dillon Trav. p. 374. extr.
t See Pliis. 1. x. cap. 48.— Martial fays thus of it, Lib. xiii. ep. 71.
11 Dat mihi penna rubens nomen, fed lingua guloiis
Noftra fapit: quid ft garrula lingua foret l”
* * W I T H
1i