344 THE STORK. 



different reason; they called it Chaseda, which in 

 Hebrew signifies piety, or mercy, from the tenderness 

 shown by the young to the older birds, who, when the 

 latter were feeble or sick, would bring them food. 



This affection, however, appears to be mutual, for 

 the parent birds have a more than ordinary degree of 

 affection for their young, and have been known to perish 

 rather than desert them. An attachment of this sort 

 once occasioned the death of an old Stork, at the burn- 

 ing of the city of Delft, in Holland. When the flames 

 approached her nest, situated on a house-top, she exerted 

 herself to the utmost to save her young; but finding 

 every effort useless, she remained and perished with 

 them. Besides the Jews, other ancient nations held 

 these birds in veneration. A law among the Greeks, 

 obliging children to support their parents, even received 

 its name from a reference to these birds*. By the 

 Romans it was called the pious bird, and was also an 

 emblem on the medals of such Roman princes as merited 

 the title of Pius. Of their attachment towards each 

 other, we can give another instance, which occurred in 

 this country. 



A gentleman had for some years been possessed of two 

 brown Cranes (Ardea pavonia) ; one of them at length 

 died, and the survivor became disconsolate. He was 

 apparently following his companion, when his master 

 introduced a large looking-glass into the aviary. The 

 bird no sooner beheld his reflected image, than he 

 fancied she for whom he mourned had returned to him; 

 he placed himself close to the mirror, plumed his fea- 

 thers, and showed every sign of happiness. The scheme 

 answered completely: the Crane recovered his health 

 and spirits, passed almost all his time before the looking- 

 glass, and lived many years after, dying at length of an 

 accidental injury. 



In return for this attachment, the male expects the 

 strictest fidelity from his partner; and it would seem, 



* HfXapyiKos vofios. 



