Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/265

 FLAMINGO that of each wing being 1 6 in. ; the tarsus 12 in. ; bill along gape 5 in., along the curve 6 in. ; middle toe 3 in. ; the circumference of the body is only 24 in., and the weight about 7 Ibs. : the female is considerably smaller. The space between the bill and eye is bare, but the plumage generally is compact and the feathers rounded, those on the neck being short; the color is a bright scarlet, deepest on the wings ; the quills are black, the legs red, the feet lake color, and the iris blue. The habits of the fla- mingo are more nocturnal than those of the heron ; over the water they fly low, but over the land very high, with neck and legs extend- ed, alternately flapping their wings and sailing ; before alighting they generally sail around the place, and come down in the shallow water, often wading to the shore ; they are very shy. The nest is made on a hillock of mud about 2 ft. high, in the hollow top of which on the bare earth two or three white eggs are laid about the size of a goose egg ; the bird covers the eggs standing, with one foot in the water, and the young are hatched about the end of May; they take to the water at once, it is said, and cannot fly till they are three months old ; they do not attain their full scarlet plumage until the second year, being rose-colored du- ring the first. On account of its shyness the flamingo is rarely hunted, and then only for its handsome feathers. It is easily tamed, and in captivity feeds on rice, maize, and similar sub- stances. It inhabits the warmer parts of Amer- ica, especially the West Indies ; it is not un- common in West Florida and northern Alaba- ma, but is rare to the north and west of these points. The European bird (P. antiquorum, Temrn.) is smaller and less brilliant. It is a regular visitant to the shores of the Mediterra- nean, and sometimes wanders to France and Germany ; it is extensively spread over the warmer parts of Asia, and is very common along the shores of northern Africa. Its ap- pearance and habits are the same as those of the American species. According to Gould, this species requires four years to reach maturity, during which the plumage changes greatly; before the first moult the color is uniform gray, with black tail and secondaries ; in the male, the head, neck, upper and under surfaces, are a delicate rosy white, the centre of the wing bright scarlet, the primaries black, the bill reddish at the base and black at the tip, the tarsi and toes rosy red; the scarlet color is not assumed until the third or fourth year, and is brightest during spring and summer. The flesh of the flamingo is savory, and its fatty tongue is considered a delicious morsel ; they were especially esteemed by the ancient Romans, and many allusions to. this dish are found in their writings. The position of the flamingo among birds is a subject of dispute ; some au- thors place it among the waders or grallatores, from its long neck and legs, and consequent habits ; but the best authorities rank it among the anseresj or web-footed swimmers, on ac- FLAMMARION 257 count of its lamellar duck-like bill, webbed feet, and muscular gizzard ; if it be true that the young run to the water as soon as they are born, this of itself would seem to establish their rank among the anseres. FLAMINIAN WAY (Lat. ma Flaminid), the principal road leading from ancient Rome to the northern provinces, constructed in 220 B. C., in the censorship of 0. Flaminius, from whom it was named. It extended to Arimi- num, now Rimini, on the Adriatic, about 220 m., where it joined the ^Emilian way. It di- vided into two branches at Narnia, now Narni, in Umbria, which met at Fulginium (Foligno), again dividing at Nuceria (Nocera), and meet- ing at Fanum Fortune (Fano). It had great commercial and military importance, and still retains many of the works erected by the Ro- man emperors. FLAMLMiMS, Titns Quintius, a Roman general, born about 230 B. 0., died about 175. He was elected consul in 198, and undertook the conduct of the war against Philip, king of Macedon. By pretending that his object was to remove from Greece the Macedonian yoke, he detached many of the Greek states from Philip, and defeated him at Cynoscephalse (197), in Thessaly, where the Roman legion demon- strated its superiority over the famous Mace- donian phalanx. Philip surrendered all his Greek towns in Europe and Asia, and paid a heavy contribution to the Romans. At the Isthmian games in 196 Flamininus proclaimed the freedom of those states which had been subdued by Macedon. In 195 he diminished the power of the tyrant Nabis of Sparta, after which he occupied himself in restoring inter- nal peace and prosperity to Greece. The next spring he returned to Rome, where his triumph lasted three days. In 183 he was sent as am- bassador to Prusias, king of Bithynia, to seek the surrender of Hannibal, who had obtained an .asylum there. FLAMINIIIS, Cains, a Roman general, killed June 23, 217 B. 0. He was a tribune of the people in 232, consul in 223 and 217, and censor in 220. As tribune he carried an agrarian law against the opposition of the senate. In his first consulship he and his colleague attacked the Gauls beyond the Po, and were defeated. The senate then recalled the consuls, but Fla- minius would not open the letter of recall, and obtained a victory over the Insubrians. A triumph was refused him on his return, but he was rewarded with demonstrations of popular favor. The circus Flaminius and via Flaminia were the monuments of his censorship. In his second consulship he marched against Han- nibal, rashly gave battle, and was slain, with the greater part of his army, on the border of Lake Thrasymenus. FLAMMARIOJV, Camille, a French astronomer, born at Montigny-le-Roi, Haute-Marne, Feb. 25, 1842. He first studied theology and after- ward astronomy, was attached as a pupil to the Paris observatory from 1858 to 1862, and