1 8 THE HOME-LIFE OF 



use of a hunting knife did I succeed in making a way 

 partly round and partly through the edge of the great nest. 



It had been obvious for the last twenty or thirty feet 

 of the ascent, from the whitened state of the branches, 

 that it either still was or had but recently been occupied, 

 though so far there had been no sign or sound of life, and 

 it seemed likely that the young had flown. Cautiously 

 I raised my head above the edge, and there in the centre 

 of the great platform of sticks were three fully-fledged 

 young Storks, sitting in a triangle with their heads 

 together, gravely listening to the noise beneath (Plate 12). 



Climbing down to within some twenty feet of the 

 ground, there, as arranged, I " owled " softly. It was 

 a warm still night, and I knew that the sound would carry 

 far, but there was no answering hoot to signify " clear 

 way." After a pause the " owl " in the tall poplar 

 called again, but still there was no answer, and later 

 again and again with no result. Not knowing what to 

 make of it, I slipped down the last few feet, and dropping 

 through the branches landed almost on the heads of a little 

 knot of excited villagers standing at the tree-foot. It was 

 now quite dark, and whether they or I were the most 

 surprised is doubtful. The more excited they became 

 the less could I understand them, and in the end I left 

 them gesticulating wildly. The following morning the 

 Burgomaster sent for us. Fortunately he could speak 

 English, else we should never have made him understand 

 our doings, but, as it was, on being assured that no harm 

 would follow to the Storks, he was more than interested, 

 and, giving his permission, wished us success. The news 

 soon spread among the villagers, and they now assembled 

 to watch the operation from a respectful distance. 



To photograph the nest from the same tree that it was 

 in being impossible, the only alternative was to try 

 from the top of a neighbouring poplar, and after a number 

 of branches had been lopped off we found that a fairly 

 good view could be thus obtained. 



