The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-10-01

ing masnl'cence. Seen f,o,,
wac a!e. or swimming in the y ;n,.,s
best to keep near the 500 lug love
would think that an moeeaa.scoast-os
re soldiers, was ''e en army u
there instead of flock Of lhuvanped
dcfense'ess birds. In Sonth harmless,
the ilamingo is called "tla America
D'rd' by the natives, and Hnm SSlaer.
the great German traveller and n.,'t
Ist, relates very amusing storr na'aral.
trating the fitness Of this psma Illus.
nc" township of Anyostura Iaa d
formed; but the Inhabitants 'u oeea
scarcely settled in their new s0 were
when' one morning, avid cry of a o1nse
spread through the little y;i'. -. al az
an immense body Of men in va mat
ments, probably hostile Ind;,nsa gar
advancing Such weapons as we,a "as
hand were hastily seized, and ali a. ~
men rushed out to defend their S Sa, me
Suddenly the supposed hostile 'o as.a
rose III the air, and. formino I I
line OF flashing scarlet against thu :" ~ ,o's
blue sky, took its course in th n' a vlear
ton of the great salt marshes arruu utse'
mouth OF tie Orinoco. 'u 'ne
Naturalists have encountered ,,.
difficulty in their attempts to studs sl ths
habits Of the ilamingo in its n,t ;rs
haunts, for it is a very shy and csnt a.''s
bird, and no flock is ever found w;tho.'s
a sentinel posted to give notice Of n.
approach of danger: This is us i, ,ue
the largest, and, probably, the oIda:.
and wisest. bird Of the flock. At NV
least sound it lifts its large head as h ;,S
in the air as the long neck will allos I
and looks about on every side. Iis..
boat or hunter is seen, the whole aool:
with loud screenings, instantly v.s
'shes among the tall water grasses
When the ilamingo sleeps it dr,,.
one leg up among its breast feather.
and bending its neck backward. res,s
its head on the middle of its back , wi.1'
the beak erect in the air or buried ~
its wing, 1t is a graceful, rapid SWIM ~
mer and flies easily, stretching its lonr
neck before and its legs behind. liz liz
the crane and stork. Its nest Is do.
scribed by those naturalists who ba uo
been fortunate enough to see 1t asm
immense heap of mud and water grasses
in the depths of some solitary swami
where the mother bird broods patientiv,
for thirty days on her two plistenino
white eggs. When the little ones AM
Matched they take to the water immedi.
ately and swim about as lively as younr
ducks; but they are not strong enough
to dy for some months, and not until
they are three years old do .hey attain
the full magnifcence of their scarlet
plumage.
The harmless and peaceful flaminpo
has many enemies besides man. Beasia
If prey are prowling abroad at night
md pounce upon these birds while thew
ire sleeping in their marshy homes. In
he great South American swa,nps the
'celot is one of its most formidable
oes. The ocelot is a very small mem.
Der OF the panther family, and is found
n Mexico and all through the American
ropics. 1t is atawny-colored creature.
covered with glistening black mark.
ngs. 1t has the same habits as other
members of its family, spending the
Ia, asleep in some secluded thicket,
md roaming the forests at night and
arly dawn in search of birds and small
mals.-Harper',, Young People.