THE BLACK STORK. 41 



by nearly twelve inches. Its feet appear to touch when it is flying ; but when 

 it is just about to alight they are parted widely." 



" As we entered Dobanovei," Mr. Eagle Clarke relates in his " Slavonian Notes," 

 " no less than nine White Storks were soaring over the village at a great height, 

 and one of these descended rapidly, at an angle of 60, to a nest close to us, using 

 its wings as a parachute, by keeping them parallel with its legs, which are out- 

 stretched in the direction of the descent; the neck and head were lowered in the 

 same direction, and altogether it presented a most remarkable appearance. During 

 our trip we had abundant opportunity for studying the habits of this species, and 

 considered it rather an uninteresting bird than otherwise. As a rule one of the 

 parents was generally to be seen standing on the side of the nest in a most 

 lethargic attitude. Sometimes, when both were at the nest, one of them (perhaps 

 the male) made a loud, hollow, snapping noise, and went through the pantomimic 

 performance, while so doing, of throwing back the neck and placing the crown of 

 the head on the lower portion of the back." 



Before setting off for their autumn migration to the south, they assemble 

 together in great flocks. 



The White Stork is easily tamed, and takes well to captivity. 



Family CICONIID/E. 



THE BLACK STORK. 



Ciconia nigra, LINN. 



THIS splendid bird, even handsomer perhaps than its white cousin, has been 

 recorded over a dozen times from the British Islands, chiefly during the 

 spring and autumn migratory seasons. It is not, however, known to have visited 

 either Scotland or Ireland. 



The Black Stork breeds in most parts of Europe, but more seldom in the 



