346 THE STORK. 



near Berlin, and is a valuable corroboration of what 

 might, to many, appear as unworthy of credit. A pair 

 of Storks built a nest on one of the chimneys of his 

 mansion ; having a curiosity to inspect it, the owner 

 climbed up, and found in it, one egg, which being about 

 the size of a goose egg, was replaced by one belonging 

 to that bird. The Storks seemed not to notice the 

 exchange, but no sooner was the egg hatched, than the 

 male bird apparently perceiving the difference, rose 

 from the nest, and flying round it several times with 

 loud screams, disappeared, and was not seen again for 

 three days, during which time the female continued 

 to tend her adopted offspring as usual. Early on the 

 fourth morning, however, the inmates of the house were 

 disturbed by hearing loud and discordant cries in the 

 field fronting the house, where they perceived about 

 five hundred Storks assembled in a dense body, and one 

 standing about twenty yards before the rest, apparently 

 haranguing its companions, who stood listening, to all 

 appearance, with great emotion when this bird had 

 concluded, it retired, and another took its place, and 

 seemed to address them in a similar manner. This 

 proceeding and noise was repeated by several successive 

 birds, until about 11 o'clock in the forenoon, when the 

 whole flock simultaneously arose in the air, uttering 

 dismal cries. The female was all this time observed to 

 remain on her nest watching their motions with apparent 

 trepidation. In a short time the body of Storks made 

 towards her, headed by one bird supposed to be the 

 mate, who struck her vehemently three or four times, 

 and knocked her out of the nest, the whole mass then 

 followed up the attack, until they had not only destroyed 

 the female Stork, (who made no attempt either to 

 escape or defend herself,) but the young Gosling, and 

 utterly removed every vestige of the nest itself. Since 

 that time, about five years ago, no Stork has been known 

 to build, or even been seen in that neighbourhood. The 

 person who stated this singular anecdote was a gentle- 



