330 Dr Adam oti the Ciconia Argala, or Adjutant Bird. 



Having had greater opportunities of observing the habits of 

 this bird since the foregoing description was drawn up, I shall 

 here add a few remarks, which, it is hoped, may throw light on 

 some of the peculiarities alluded to. In the first place, the 

 orange-coloured bag forming so prominent an appendage of the 

 neck, dissection reveals to us, contains merely air and saliva ; 

 and the latter, in all the instances which I have examined, 

 has been so trifling in quantity, that its presence could only be 

 regarded as accidental, having accumulated in all probability in 

 that situation from the mere effect of gravity, after lubricating 

 the pharynx and mouth. Besides, the structure of the bag does 

 not resemble that of a secreting organ. It is also quite evident, 

 from the smallness of the aperture communicating with the 

 mouth, that it cannot serve as a receptacle for food, at least of 

 such massive and solid materials as we know constitute the food 

 of the Adjutant bird. In what, then, it may be asked, consists 

 its use ? If it perform any function, I should conceive it to act 

 merely as an air-vessel, to be employed as occasion required, ei- 

 ther in sustaining the bird in his elevated aerial flights, or en- 

 abling him to be more daring in the water in the search after 

 his prey. At first sight, such an apparatus may appear super- 

 fluous ; but on an attentive consideration of the subject, we shall 

 be disposed, I think, to regard it in the light rather of a wise 

 provision of nature, adapted to the peculiar circumstances of the 

 bird. In order to explain this, it will be necessary to bear in 

 mind, that the Hurgeela, though domesticated in a great mea- 

 sure among ourselves, is originally an inhabitant of the forest and 

 marsh, whither these birds yet resort annually, for the purpose of 

 breeding, and rearing their young. Their periodical disappear- 

 ance during the hot and dry months, it may be presumed, has 

 this object in view ; and there can be little doubt in that season 

 they retire to the depths of the Sundurbunds, where they con- 

 gregate {qua,re build in trees ?) like their congener, the Heron, in 

 more temperate regions. Their natural food in that situation, 

 consisting of reptiles and amphibia of every description, they must 

 be necessitated, in quest of it, to enter the jeels (lakes) and 

 marshes, while, from the structure of their limbs, they are not 

 endowed with the capacity of swimming ; and their bulky and 

 ponderous beak must operate greatly to their disadvantage as 



