The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-24
HABITS OF FLAMINGO
ARE FULLY DESCRIBED
Thomas Lecturer at Richmond College Gives Ac
count of Study Of Habits of Little known
Bird THANKSGIVING Services TODAY.

The concluding lecture of the pres
ent series of Thomas lectures was
given by Frank Chapman in the chapel
of Richmond College last night. The
subject was Island Bird Life" with
It's of the hamlngo. Until Mr. Chap
mans most successful work very little
was known of the fiamingo. Recent
books have erroneously shown the bird
dangling down at the side. This mis-
take Is similar TO that which was made
when the bird of paradise was named.
skins of the birds were brought to
England by the navigator Magellan,
but that bird did not have any legs.
and hence was supposed to live in the
heavens. AS a matter of fact, the bird
does have very small legs. little suited
for walking, and 1t does spend the
great part of its time in the air often
apparently seated on the air. so cas-
lily does the bird apparently maintain
its position. Remarkable slides showed
to the audience the wonderful skill OF
iiamingoes in aviation, bird even
in the air.
Evolution OF Bird.
In regard to the hamingo the lee
turer pointed out that they inhabit
ica, but also Africa. and on the two
continents the birds are somewhat diff
ferent. II appears that in former geo
logical ages the ancestors of these
birds lived on connecting land near
the poles but as the climate has be-
come colder they have moved south
ward and thus become separated. This
theory of evolution from common an
cestor Is further proved by the finding
of fossil remains OF famingoes in
France and oregon. where they do not
at present exist.
After long and dangerous hunt.
which the lecturer described with
charming humor, he at last found
stood that the birds seek islands which
have risen from the sea, and thus do
not contain mammalia, which would IN
terfere with their nesting, as would be
mental islands. On the lonely islands
In this case the Bahamas-thousand
of the birds form their rookeries, pill
ing up columns of mud a foot above the
cave top they lay their eggs. They do
not "straddle the nest" but fold their
long legs under them according to
the habits of other birds.
Not Able to Count.
The birds are unable to count as
high as two, for when the naturalist
took friend with him to bush near
their city the birds would all leave In
alarm, but when the friend returned
the birds would also return to their
homes, and the naturalist could study
their most intimate family life. Won
derful pictures of these beautifully
colored birds were shown, taken at
close range. In one the bird stood In
deep sleep, poised on one leg, with It's
long neck coiled up and It's head rest
Ing on It's wing. In another the other
muscles had relaxed In sleep and the
leg dropped. Then the bird naked wa up
enough to scratch one ear. The birds
are quite affectionate. for they stroke
their young and utter a sound which
III not heard until the young are
Evidently they are speaking
to the little fellows, The tlamingoes
feed on shells which they dig from the
mud The young feed on this food,
very nice food Is this "predigested
clam BROTH as the lecturer facetiously
termed II. The little fellows would
sometimes get out of their nests, and
in trying to get back would get into
the wrong house. The birds presid-
ing over that household would then eH-
anime them. and II not their own Off
spring, would pinch them on the neck,
which was interpreted as the hint to
move on"
All of these positively unique pic
lures, besides q great number of 9TH
ers, were shown, to the delight OF the
audience, and this in spite of the fact
that the hamingo is supposed to post
sentinels," so wary are they OF intru-
sion No one heretofore has succeeded
in studying them. Mr.. Chapman
proved, however, that this human de-
vice is not employed
very peculiar habit of the f1aming.o
is connected with their digging their
she'll food from the mud. II the shells
stick together SO that they cannot get