SPOONBILL.
The Birds which belong to this family differ greatly in the length of their legs—which seems to be the main characteristic of the Waders. In fact, some of these Birds seem to form a sort of connecting link between the Waders and the Domestic Fowls, in the form of the bill as well as in the length of the leg. Among them are the Golden-breasted Trumpeter, the Cariama, the Oyster-catcher, the Plovers, the Lapwing, the Coursers, the Dotterel, and the Bustard.
Before passing on to the sixth family of Wading or Long-legged Birds, we must notice two curious types that seem to form distinct classes. The Flamingoes, which are certainly Waders and yet with webbed feet like the Swimmers, and the curious Frigate Bird about which so many strange tales are told of its wonderful power of flight.
The Flamingo is one of the most curious of the tribe of Waders. The most fanciful imagination would fail to picture to itself anything more odd than the conformation of this Bird. It has extremely long legs, supporting quite a small body; a neck corresponding in length with the leg, a rather long bill, sharply curved and apparently broken in the middle. Add to this a plumage of rose-color, warming into a bright red on the back and wings, and we have an object of both wonder and admiration.
Ancient writers, struck by the vivid coloring of its wings, called this the Fiery-winged Bird; this term was designated in France by the word flambert, or flamant; from which came the name Flamingo, by which the Bird is popularly known.
Flamingoes inhabit the margins of lakes and ponds, more rarely the seashore. They feed on Worms, Molluscs, and the Spawn of Fishes, which they capture by the following stratagem: Placing their long neck and head in such a position that the upper mandible of their bill is the lowest, they stir the mud about in every direction, thus easily succeed in disturbing the small Fish which have settled in it, and capturing them while blended with the thick sediment. They also use their feet for working the ooze and detaching the fry and spawn, to which they are partial.
They love company, and live in flocks, which are subject to strict discipline. When they are fishing they draw themselves up into long, straight and regular files, protected by sentinels whose office it is to give a signal of alarm on the approach of danger. If any cause for uneasiness should arise, the scout-birds give a piercing cry, not unlike the note of a trumpet, and the whole flock immediately wing their way to a place of safety.
Flamingoes are very shy and timid, and shun all attempts of Man to approach them; the vicinity of animals, however, they disregard. Any one who is acquainted with this fact can take advantage of it, for, by dressing himself up in the skin of a Horse or an Ox, he can effect immense slaughter among these beautiful creatures. Thus disguised, the sportsman may shoot them down at his ease, so long as their enemy is unrecognized; the noise of the gun only stupefies them, so that they refuse to leave, although their companions are dropping down dead around them.
Some authors have asserted that the Flamingo makes use of its long neck as a third leg, walking with its head resting on the ground like a foot. The fact that has doubtless given rise to this supposition is the position of the neck, necessitated by its peculiar method of seeking food. We are told about a Flamingo reared in captivity which, being accidentally deprived of one of its limbs, found out a remedy for its infirmity by walking on one leg and helping itself along by means of its bill, using the latter as a crutch; the master of the Bird, noticing this, fitted it with a wooden leg, which it used with the greatest success. But this story, which applies very well to a domesticated Bird which was maimed, and consequently under peculiar conditions, does not prove that this is a common practice.
The Flamingo makes itself a nest which is as original as its own personal appearance. It consists of a truncated cone, about twenty inches in height, and formed of mud dried in the sun. At the summit of this little hillock it hollows out a shallow cavity, in which two eggs are laid, rather elongated in shape, and of a dead white color. When hatching the eggs, the Flamingo sits astride on this novel imitation of a throne, with her legs hanging down on each side. The young ones run about very soon after they are hatched, but it is some time before they are able to fly—not, indeed, until they are clothed with their full plumage. At two years old they assume the more brilliant colors of the adult Bird.
The Flamingo is found in all the warm and temperate regions of the globe. On certain islands off the American continent they exist in such numbers that navigators have given them the name of the Flamingo Islands. In the Old World they are found spread over a region below the fortieth degree of latitude, principally in Egypt and the Nile tributaries; during the summer they seek a cooler climate. The height of these magnificent Birds reaches to about five feet; when they are flying, in the peculiar formation common to most aquatic Birds, with the neck stretched out and the legs projecting behind, they look, in the clear sky, like gigantic triangles of fire.
The ancients greedily sought after the flesh of the Flamingo, which they regarded as the most choice food. The tongue especially was thought to be an exquisite dainty. At the present day we no longer eat the Bird; to modern palates its flesh is disagreeable in flavor, and it retains a marshy smell which is far from being pleasant. With regard to the tongue, the Egyptians, it is said, are content with extracting an oil from it, which is used to flavor certain food.
The Frigate Bird is principally characterized by a strong, robust bill, longer than the head, with mandibles hooked at the point; the front of the neck bare of feathers; wings very long and narrow, first two feathers longest; tail lengthy and forked; feet short; toes united by a membrane deeply notched.
The Frigate Bird has a most expansive spread of wing; its power of flight is, therefore, very great. It inhabits the tropical seas of both the Old and New World; and navigators assure us that they have met with it many miles from any shore. When a hurricane arises they mount up far above the storm, and remain in those empyrean regions until it is again fine weather. In consequence of their almost disproportionate spread of wing, they can sustain themselves in the air for lengthened periods, without taking or requiring rest.
Their sight is so piercing that, at a distance far beyond that which would render them invisible to us, they can perceive their prey, the principal of which is the Flying-fish. From their elevated situation, they dart down upon their favorite food, which has relinquished its native element; and, keeping their neck and feet in a horizontal position, cleave asunder the air and grasp their victim, who little expected to meet with an enemy in the element which it sought for safety. It is no unusual thing for it to rob the Gannet of the Fish which it has just caught; the unfortunate Bird acting as purveyor to this sea-robber.
The Frigate Bird is of such a combative temperament, and has such an unbounded confidence in its strength, that it is not afraid of Man. It has been known to dash at a sailor, and to snatch at the Fish which he held in his hand. M. de Kerhoent, a French navigator, relates that, during a residence at the Island of Ascension, a perfect cloud of Frigate Birds surrounded his crew. They hovered about a few feet above the coppers of the open-air kitchen, in order to carry off the meat, without being intimidated in the least by the presence of his followers. Some of them approached so near, that M. de Kerhoent knocked down one of the impudent intruders with a blow of his stick.
They assemble in large flocks on the islands where they are accustomed to breed. In the month of May they begin to repair their old or construct new nests. They pluck off with their beaks from the bush small dry branches, and with these pieces of stick crossed and re-crossed, a foundation is formed. These nests are situated upon trees which hang over the water, or are placed on rocks overjutting the sea; in them they lay one egg of a pure white color.