STORKS 



of amusing scenes. When they came in they did 

 not make direct for the tree, but always pitched 

 first on a flat roof a few yards from, and almost 

 on a level with its topmost boughs ; and it was 

 with great difficulty that they were able to summon 

 up courage to cross the gulf. Much dubious stalk- 

 ing to and fro, many careful visual estimates of 

 distance, and many piteous and futile attempts at 

 a start occurred before they ventured fairly forth. 

 So long as more than one bird was on the roof 

 matters went on fairly quickly, as they were 

 constantly sparring at one another, making offensive 

 gestures, and striking savagely out with widely 

 gaping beaks and flapping wings, so that every 

 now and then one of them would over-balance 

 himself or would be violently thrust over the edge, 

 and, making a virtue of necessity, would struggle 

 over to the tree. It was in the case of the last 

 bird of the party that the sufferings incident on in- 

 decision of character were most painfully illustrated. 

 He stalked to and fro, casting envious glances at 

 eligible perches ; every now and then he halted 

 to rise on his toes, hump up his back, bow his 

 head, and even begin to flap his wings, but only 

 to lose courage at the last moment and resume 

 his weary march. At last, in a sudden access of 

 desperate courage, he would launch out and flap 

 his way across, happy if he had selected a landing- 

 place so situated as to allow of his reaching it 



