THE WHITE STORK. 21 



nest. The young were wildly delighted at this promise 

 of another breakfast, and I am perfectly certain from 

 the old bird's manner that she had not then noticed 

 either the screen or the dangling leg of which I felt so 

 conscious. Probably neither she nor her ancestors had 

 cause to fear enemies lurking in the tree-tops, and so 

 they passed unscrutinized. 



The young were very clamorous for her to begin break- 

 fast, or, rather, to allow them to begin. Quite at her 

 ease she backed to the nest-edge, and leaning forward 

 with distended throat prepared to spread the meal before 

 them (Plate 15). Again the manner of feeding was 

 peculiar, the chicks not taking it from the throat at all. 

 When first she began disgorging they tried to do so, but 

 without success, for her plan was otherwise. Shaking 

 the long bill to and fro, the food was scattered broadcast 

 over the nest, the youngsters scrambling for it like school 

 children after nuts. Once their heads were down busily 

 engaged in picking up the bits, she could disgorge at 

 leisure, an occasional sprinkling over the top keeping them 

 hard at it. The way they " scrummed " was splendid : 

 heads in, wings raised, and down on their tarsi they pushed 

 and struggled. 



The exact nature of the food could not be seen, and 

 it certainly differed in character from time to time, but 

 it was constant in that it always consisted of small 

 pieces — appearing to be tiny fishes no larger than a minnow 

 and roots of some aquatic plant broken in short lengths — 

 and generally was light in colour. 



Once only did I know the old birds to bring any distinct 

 and recognisable prey, which was on the fourth morning, 

 when the hen returned with a tiny frog in her bill. It was 

 no larger than a mouse, and looked an absurdly small 

 morsel as the three big youngsters stared greedily up 

 at it dangling from their parent's bill. This was the only 

 time the old birds carried food up in their bills, it being 

 always regurgitated from the throat, though I understand 



