portion of India, A moorland, and probably China; its range, therefore, is most extensive. In America it
has never been seen, the Atlantic sea on the west and the North Pacific on the east forming barriers which
it never crosses.
“ The Stork,” says Mr. Bennett, “ has in all ages been regarded with peculiar favour, amounting in some
countries almost to veneration, partly on acconnt o f the services it performs in the destruction of noxious
animals and in removing impurities from the surface o f the earth, and partly on account of its mildness of
temper, the harmlessness of its hahits, and the moral virtues with which the imagination has delighted to
invest it. Among the ancient Egyptians the Stork was regarded with a reverence inferior only to that which
was paid to the sacred -Ibis. The same feeling is still prevalent in many parts of Africa and the E a s t; and
even in Switzerland and Holland something like superstition seems to mingle in the minds o f the common
people with the hospitable kindness which a strong conviction o f its utility disposes them to evince towards
this favourite hird . . . In numerous parts of Holland t o nest, built on the chimney-top, remains undisturbed
for many successive years, and the owners constantly return with unerring sagacity to the same spot. The
joy which they manifest on again taking possession o f their dwelling, and the attachment which they testify
towards their benevolent hosts are familiar to every one. They generally lay from two to four eggs, o f a
<hngy yellowish white, rather longer than those of a goose, but not so broad. The incubation lasts for a
month, the male sharing in the task during the absence of the female in search of food. When the young
birds are hatched they are carefully fed by their parents, who watch over them with the closest anxiety. As
soon as they are capable o f flying, the parents exercise them in it by degrees, carrying them a t first on their
own wings, and then conducting them in short flights around their nest. In repose, the Stork is commonly
seeu standing upon one leg, with its long neck bent backwards and its head resting on its shoulder. Its
motions are slow and measured, the length o f its steps corresponding with that o f its legs. In flight its
head and neck are directed straight forwards, and its legs extended backwards, an awkward and apparently
constrained position, but that which is best calculated for enabling it to cleave the air with rapidity. When
migrating, the Storks appear gradually to assemble in one spot from the whole o f the surrounding district
to the number of many hundreds, making, when they meet, th at peculiar clattering with their beaks which
appears to serve them in the place o f voice. As soon as their number is completed, the entire body mount
at once into the air without noise or confusion, and are speedily lost sight o f in the loftiuess of their flight.”
— Gardens and Menagerie o f the Zoological Society delineated, vol. i.
“ I shall never forget,” says Mr. Gurney, Ju n ., “ the interest I took in a Stork's nest a t Medea, in Algeria
It was placed in one of two chimneys at the gable end o f by no , means the largest house, in the town. I
watched it for hours. The old birds were constantly repairing it and moving about the sticks ; and althongh
it was small, both birds found room to stand in it at the same time. The bird leaves the nest with a spring,
and gets quite clear before it expands its huge wings, but does not draw in its legs, which hang down
awkwardly a t first and then stream out behind. When it alights the legs are cast upwards and sideways ”
Speaking o f the bird as observed iu Palestine, the Rev. H. B. Tristram s a y s T h e White Stork is a
regular though only a passing migrant. During the whole o f April it covers the land, suddenly appearing
iu the south, and moving northwards a few miles a day. Thus we were told by some travellers who came up
to Gennesaret that the whole country about Samaria was covered with Storks. Two days afterwards they
overspread our neighbourhood, not close together, but scattered over hill and valley, plain and marsh alike,
steadily quartering the ground, seldom near one another, but generally about a hundred yards apart, picking
up snakes, lizards, frogs, or fish, according to the locality. Ju s t after this I had occasion to make a ’six days’
journey to the south-east; the Storks were everywhere, among rocks on the hills, in olive-yards, sandy
plains, on the dunghills of villages, on the top o f Nebo.__ They remained apparently until they had cleared off
the reptilian harvest, and departed for the north as suddenly as they came. A very few pairs here and there
remain to breed, notably among the ruins of Gerash and Ammon, perhaps also a t Cesarea. They showed
great confidence in man, and are never molested by the natives.”
Both sexes are alike iu plumage; but the female is somewhat smaller than the m ale ; and the young
when fledged, do not differ from their parents except in the darker colouring of their bills and legs’
To show the difficulty o f obtaining a young chick o f this species, I may mention th at for ten years I
solicited my Continental correspondents to obtain me one w ithout success, until at length my old and valued
friend Professor Kaup, o f Darmstadt, knowing that I required it purely for a scientific purpose, not only sent
me a specimen, but also a drawing from life, by which means I have been able to portray correctly the
colour,ng of the soft parts—for which a ct o f attention I here record my thanks.
The upper p art of an adult, and the young, are represented of the size of life.