THE MARABOUT. 357 



Besides the numerous virtues that we have just stated paternal 

 love, conjugal fidelity, chastity, and gratitude the ancients 

 attributed to them (among birds) the monopoly of filial piety. 

 They believed that these birds maintained and nourished their 

 parents in their old age, and devoted themselves to alleviating the 

 trials of the last years of their lives with the most tender care. 

 Hence was derived the name of the " Pelargonian Law " (from the 

 Greek TreXapyos, a Crane), the name given by the Greeks to the law 

 which compelled children to maintain their parents when old age 

 had rendered them incapable of working. This last feature in its 

 character has not a little contributed to the universal celebrity of 

 the Stork. 



The flesh of the Stork forms but a poor article of food ; it is, 

 therefore, rather difficult to see why the sportsmen in our country 

 persist in shooting at it every time that they get a chance. The 

 reprehensible mania which our French Nimrods possess of indis- 

 criminately massacring everything which shows itself within 

 reach of their guns is a disgrace to those who practise it, and an 

 injury to the community at large. The result is that the Stork, 

 meeting with nothing but ill-treatment in return for its loyal and 

 useful services, is gradually retiring from France, and before long 

 will have completely abandoned it. 



The Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) is rather smaller than the 

 one above named ; it is a native of Eastern Europe, and is rarely 

 seen in France. It feeds almost exclusively on fish, which it 

 catches with much skill. It is very shy, and avoids the society of 

 man ; it builds its nest in trees. 



The ARGALA, or MARABOUT, also called the Adjutant Bird, or 

 Gigantic Crane, is characterised by its very strong and large 

 bill, and the bareness of its neck, the lower part of which is pro- 

 vided with a pouch somewhat resembling a large sausage ; but, 

 according to Temminck, there is a notable difference between the 

 African Marabout and the African Argala, the characteristic mark 

 of the latter frequently hanging down a foot, while it is much 

 shorter in the Marabout. 



These birds are inhabitants of India ; they feed on reptiles and 

 all kinds of filth, and this fact has been the means of securing for 



