cicoNiD^. 735 



Gen. CicONiA, Linnaeus. 



Char. — Bill straight, moderately robust, acute, upper mandible 

 convex above, lower mandible inclining a little upwards at the 

 tip ; nostrils pierced in the horny substance of the bill ; orbits 

 more or less naked ; tarsi long, a considerable part of the tibia 

 nude ; wings moderate, ample, 3rd and 4th quills longest ; toes 

 strongly webbed at the base ; hind toe moderately long ; claws 

 short, depressed, blunt, not pectinated. 



The true Storks are birds of partially aquatic habits, some even 

 preferring large open plains ; they feed on insects, reptiles, fish, 

 and Crustacea, to capture which they ]keep their mandibles open 

 in the water, and seize everything passing with unerring grasp. 

 Of the three species found in India, the first is nearly of black 

 colour throughout, and has been separated as Melanopelargus, 

 Reichenbach. 



918. Ciconia nigra, Linn^us. 



Blyth, Cat. 1G30 — Jerdon, Cat. 315 — GtOULd, Birds of 

 Europe, pi. 284 — Surmai, H. 



The Black Stork. 



Descr. — Whole plumage deep blackish brown, with violet, pur- 

 ple, and green reflections, except the lower part of the breast and 

 the abdomen, which are pure white. 



Bill blood red ; irides dark brown ; legs dark red. Length 3^ 

 feet ; extent 6 feet ; bill at front nearly 8 inches ; tarsus 8 ; Aving 

 24 ; tail 10. 



The Black Stork is rare in India. I have seen it occasionally, 

 and killed it in the Deccan, and also near Saugor in Central 

 India; it has been sent from the Dehra Doon to the Museum of 

 the Asiatic Society, and is probably not very rare in the Punjab. 

 It frequents secluded w^ooded streams, rivers, and lakes, and lives 

 chiefly on aquatic food. It is considered one of the finest quarries 

 for the BJiyri, and the day that a Black Stork is killed is marked 

 by the Indian falconer with a white stone. 



The Black Stork is only a winter visitant to India, it is found 

 throughout the greater part of Asia, Europe, and Africa. It is 



