WHALE UEAl>EL> STORK.— JWrf«u»jM fi«r. 



ami ycmng, luit tho yotuig birds so takon liavo iuvaviably ilioil After ropoatod imsucccss- 

 ful attempts to roar them, continued for two years, the eggs were eventually hatched under 

 hens, which were pi-ocured at a consideraMe distance from the J\aik negroes. 



As soon as the hens began to lay, and in due time to sit, a part of their eggs were 

 replaced with half the number of tliose of the Bahvniccps, as fresh as possible irom the 

 nest, the locality of which was previously known, and several birds were successfully 

 hatched. These young birds ran about the premises of the camp, and, to the great iliscom- 

 fort of the hens, would pei-sist in performing all sorts of unchickenable mauojuvres, with 

 their large beaks and extended wings, in a small artificial pool con.^tantly supplied with 

 water by several uegresses retained for their especial benefit, Negro boys were also 

 employed to supply their little pond with live tish, upon which, and occasionally the 

 intestines of animals killed for our use, chopped into sm;dl pieces, they were reared.' 



The chief point in this fine bird is the huge bill, which, from its resemblance in size 

 and shape to a shoe, has gained for its owntu- the title of Shoe-bird. It is enormously 

 expanded at each side of the beak, the edges of the upper mandible overhang those of the 

 hiwer, and its tip is furnished with a laige hook, curved and sharp as that of an eagle, and 

 well suited for tearing to pieces the substances on which the bird feeds. Its colour is 

 brown, mottled profusely with a deep mahogany tinge. The general colour of the plumage 

 is dark slaty grey above, each feather being edged with a nariinv banil of greyish white. 

 The featliers of the fixint of the neck are pointed, very ilark in the centiw and broadly 

 edged with grey. The under suiface is grey. In the liritish Museum a skeleton of this 

 bird is placed near the stnlYed specimen, and gives an excellent idea of the singular 

 formation of the beak and head. 



