CICONIA ALBA. 189 
Tangier, passing to Europe during January and February, some 
of the bii'ds terminating their journey by remaining to breed 
in Morocco. These are the first to depart south, returning 
again year after year to the same places, and apparently by 
the same route as that taken in their gradual departure. 
" Some large flights pass on without stopping ; those which 
migrate in August rest awhile on their way south; so during 
the autumnal migration (which lasts, like the spring, for about 
a month, the latter half of August and the first part of Sep- 
tember) tliis species is extremely numerous and seen around 
the environs of Tangier in all directions ; they are very tame, 
and often follow close behind the plough. 
" The superstition which shelters this bird from molestation 
by the natives has been mentioned in my notes on the Swallow ; 
but it may be added that some of the Arabs believe that the 
Storks originate from a wdcked Kadi and his family, who, as 
a punishment for their great cruelty, were all changed into 
these birds, and that these miserables humble themselves to 
appease Allah, and, in the hope of some day regaining their 
original human form, pray without ceasing day and night, 
and, whenever they rest, prostrate themselves and clack their 
bills." — Favier. 
The White Stork, owing to the protection it everywhere 
receives, is much more abundant in Morocco than in Anda- 
lucia, although it is plentiful in some level districts in the 
latter country, being most common in the marismas and in 
the vicinity of Seville, nesting on some of the churches in that 
city. On the African side of the Straits, in many situations 
they breed on trees, generally in colonies, as well as on houses, 
but usually near villages ; and almost every Moorish hovel has 
its Stork's nest on the toj), a pile of sticks lined with grass 
and palmetto-fibre. It usually contains four white eggs, 
which are very rarely marked with pink blotches ; these are 
sometimes laid as early as the 25th of March, and are very 
good eating, either hot or cold. When boiled hard, they 
have the white clear, as with Peewit's or " Plover's " eggs, the 
yolk being of very rich reddish yellow. 
The White Stork is rather irregular as to the time of 
