pipers, black ibis, teal ducks, and large geese. On the banks
were ground owls and woodpeckers. It is not surprising that the
natives should have named this body of water "Parinacochas" (Parina =
"flamingo," cochas = "lake"). The flamingoes are here in incredible
multitudes; they far outnumber all other birds, and as I have said,
actually make the shallow waters of the lake look pink. Fortunately
they had not been hunted for their plumage and were not timid. After
two days of familiarity with the boat they were willing to let me
approach within twenty yards before finally taking wing. The coloring,
in this land of drab grays and browns, was a delight to the eye. The
head is white, the beak black, the neck white shading into salmon-pink;
the body pinkish white on the back, the breast white, and the tail
salmon-pink. The wings are salmon-pink in front, but the tips and
the under-parts are black. As they stand or wade in the water their
general appearance is chiefly pink-and-white. When they rise from the
water, however, the black under-parts of the wings become strikingly
conspicuous and cause a flock of flying flamingoes to be a wonderful
contrast in black-and-white. When flying, the flamingo seems to keep
his head moving steadily forward at an even pace, although the ropelike
neck undulates with the slow beating of the wings. I could not be sure
that it was not an optical delusion. Nevertheless, I thought the heavy
body was propelled irregularly, while the head moved forward at uniform
speed, the difference being caught up in the undulations of the neck.

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FIGURE

Flamingos on Lake Parinacochas, and Mt. Sarasara
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The flamingo is an amusing bird to watch. With its haughty Roman
nose and long, ropelike neck, which it coils and twists in a most
incredible manner, it seems specially intended to distract one's mind
from bathymetric disappointments. Its hoarse croaking, "What is it,"
"What is it," seemed to express deep-throated sympathy with the
sounding operations. On one bright moonlight night the flamingoes
were very noisy, keeping up a continual clatter of very hoarse
"What-is-it's." Apparently they failed to find out the answer in time
to go to bed at the proper time, for next morning we found them all
sound asleep, standing in quiet bays with their heads tucked under
their wings. During the course of the forenoon, when the water was
quiet, they waded far out into the lake. In the afternoon, as wind