the Natural History of the Black Stork. 23 



and toes dull orange. These parts have changed but little, and 

 perhaps are rather brighter in colour than at first. 



Indisposition having prevented my seeing the bird since the 

 last-mentioned period till the middle of March, I was much sur- 

 prised to find the appearance of a few feathers on the upper part 

 of the back, that were dusky, resplendent with violet and purple, 

 having a margin of dark glossy green. These elegant feathers 

 continued to increase in number, till the whole upper part of the 

 back had nearly assumed this beautiful plumage by the first of 

 April. At this time no other part of the bird indicated any further 

 change of plumage : the scapulars and coverts, many of which had 

 recently changed, continued of the same colour as last described, 

 without the purple reflections or marginal green. It is scarcely 

 possible to account for such a succession of change in plumage 

 in so short a time, except by supposing that a change in tiie con- 

 stitution of the bird, produced by captivity and a want of natural 

 food, had caused obstruction to the usual course of moulting, and 

 that the autumnal change had been retarded, and was scarcely 

 effected before the spring moulting commenced. The bill at this 

 season has also become more orange. 



V. Some 



