98 Allen's naturalist's library. 



Adult Female. — Similar in colour to the male. Total length, 

 36 inches ; culmen, S'l ; wing, 23*0 ; tail, 9-8 ; tarsus, 9-0. 



Young Birds. — White like the adults, but the quills browner. 



Range in Great Britain. — As might have been expected from 

 their proximity to the Continent, the southern and eastern 

 counties of England are those in which the Stork most fre- 

 quently occurs, and there can be little doubt that, if unmolested, 

 the species would establish itself in England as a regular visitor, 

 for our country offers every condition under which the species 

 flourishes in other countries of Europe. Its visits to Scotlan 1 

 are rare, and in Ireland it is only known to have occurred 

 twice, each time in Co. Cork. 



Range outside tlie British Islands. — Throughout Central Europe 

 the Stork breeds regularly, but i.s less common in the Medi- 

 terranean countries, where it is chiefly known as a regular 

 migrant, except in Spain, where it breeds plentifully. Its 

 northern range extends to Scandinavia, and it is found east- 

 wards to Central Asia, though in Eastern Siberia, Corea, and 

 Japan its place is taken by Ciconia boyciana^ which has a black 

 bill and red lores. The White Stork visits India in winter, 

 and also extends its range to South Africa, where it sometimes 

 remains to breed, especially when locusts are abundant. 



Habits. — To see the Storks in life it is not necessary to go 

 farther than Holland, and in May, as the steamer goes up the 

 Maas, a bird may often be seen in the early morning, flying 

 from shore to shore, with a heavy flapping flight, its great 

 wings expanded, so as to show the black quills in contrast to 

 its snowy-white plumage. It is also impossible to take a 

 country walk in Holland without seeing a Stork's nest in some 

 of the gardens or fields, where some accommodation in the 

 shape of a post and a cradle is put up for the birds to build 

 their nests on. Occasionally an old cart-wheel is thus erected, 

 which is immediately appropriated by a pair of Storks, so bent 

 are the Dutch on encouraging these birds, which are supposed 

 to bring good luck with them. In many places the Stork 

 nests on the roof of a house, and sometimes many nests are 

 found together, but it will also build in trees and even on 

 diffs. 



Colonel Irby writes : — "The White Stork, owing to the pro- 



