BLACK STORK 



259 



the stork is rare ; and only three well-authenticated instances of its 

 occurrence in Ireland were recorded up to 1900. Although generally 

 referred to as Ciconia alba, the white stork will be found described in 

 some works under the name of Ciconia ciconia. 



Black Stork -"^■"' "idicated by its name, the black stork is the 

 (Ciconia nigra) ^^'^ opposite to the preceding species in the matter 

 of colour ; the upper-parts, together with the higher 

 portion of the breast, being black with metallic reflections, the beak, 

 legs, and feet coral-red, and 

 the under-parts alone white. 

 Both sexes are alike in 

 plumage, but in birds of 

 the \'ear the feathers of the 

 upper-parts are dull metallic 

 brown with dirty white 

 edges, and the horny parts 

 olive-green, changing later 

 to orange-red. 



The distribution of the 

 black stork is very similar 

 to that of its white cousin, 

 although the winter-range 

 does not include the south 

 of India, Ceylon, or Burma. 

 To Great Britain the species 

 is, however, a much more 

 uncommon visitor, only 

 twenty-two instances of its 



VOUNT 



occurrence there during the 

 nineteenth century having 



been recorded, the latest of these being in i 900. Out of these twenty- 

 two records Norfolk and Suffolk claim seven, and Dorset, Devon, and 

 Cornwall (inclusive of the Scilly Isles) six ; while the most northerly 

 record is Yorkshire. No example has ever been taken in Ireland. 



HE ROWLAND WARD STJDIOS 



BLACK STORK. 



Glossy Ibis 



(Plegadis 

 faleinellus). 



Ibises are so essentially connected with Egypt 

 according to popular ideas, that it will probably be 

 a surprise to many persons to learn that one species 

 is no very uncommon visitor to England, more 



especially the eastern counties, which, from their topographical 



