THE AMrr\ \ /'. "/; (/.,, f / i :,:, : 



The habits ,,f the St., r k are well told l.y C..I..M. -I Montague in his account of a Black Stork 

 ' ' . i/rn donu ti< .i 1 . .1 lij liim 



Like the while Stork, it fn-quently rests iij^.n one leg, and if alarm. -I. .-|--. ially by the 

 :i|.|.|-..:i<-h .if a dog. it makes :i > -iiM<lfi-.il-l.- n.-is.- l-\ fit. mi. -I snapping df t hi- liill. similar i.. 



that s|.,-ies. It .s4M.ii Ui-ai ItM-ilf. :ui.| would follow its feeder for its f;i\.irit.- mor-el, an eeL 



When \t-ry hungry, it crouch.-, i.-stim; the \vhol.- l.-imth of tin- l.^s u|..-n ih.- Around. :nnl 

 sii]ipli:iiitly seeiUS to solicit ftHHl l.\ n,|,lin- tli.- Ii,-:i.|. flapping it.s nm\|.-M\ pinion*. :in<| 

 fon-ilily I -lowing the air from tin- lungs with audible expirations. \Vln-ii.'\.-r it isapproach.il, 

 tin- expulsion of air, acc>mi>anied l-\ n-|H-at.-d nodding of tin- head, is provoked. 



i'lu- l>iit| is of a iiiiM ami jieaceftil dis|>osition, v.-ry nnlikf many of iis congener*, for it 

 never makes us.' of its formidable l>ill offeiisiv. l\ .1.. iin-i :ui\ . .f ih.- . -. .iiip.ini..ii> ..f it- pi i. ,n. 

 and even submits psJMBlblj to U> taken u] A-ithool RNMll Straggle Kroui the niannei in wliicli 

 it is observed to search tin- gra.ss with its (.ill. th.-n- ran \- no doul.t that ivptil.-s f,,rm part of 

 its natunil fMMl ; evi-n mil-.-. \M-HIIS, and th.- l.irtf-r iiMeota pmluihly add to its usual r.-^wt. 

 \Vhen seiipchin^ in thick j;ni.H.s or in th.- mud for it.s pn-y, tin- hill i.s k.-pt juirtly <>]-n ; l>\ this 



nn-aii.s I ha' lis-rve<l it tak< ; in n [Kind irltfj |TWl dVxteritj : no s|M-ai in i-ommmi u>.- 



for takini; thut fish ttui nion- i-fTetrtuolly scur- it U-twiH-n ita fanu's than the gnwpof th.- 

 Stork's niaiidilih-s. A small .-.-I has no chain-.- of .-scaping wh.-n nm M,IIS,M| from it.s lurking- 

 place. 



"But the Stork tloea not gorge its prvy instantly, like the cormorant : on tin- contrary, It 

 retires to the margin of the jxind, and th-r- disjihlcs its prey l>\ shaking and U-atin^ it with 

 its bill before it ventures to Wallow it. I n.-v.-r ol.s-rv.-d this I. in! att.-mpt to swim, dut it will 

 wade up to the belly and occasionally thrust the whole head and neck under water after itn 

 prey. It prefers an elevated sjx>t on which to repose; an old, ivy-lnmnd w<i-ping-willo\\ that 

 lies prostrate over the pond is usually resorted to for that purpose, b this quiestvnt state 

 the n.-i-k is much shortened by resting the hinder part of the head on the hack, and the hill 



It-sts , ,n lli.- fnle j art of I ! . !.. k, " ' ! ' 'si' 1 1 ttM !'!'!,. ft tl-.-A ptftl) -" ILH 1 IK .-:.! it, Mi:.k 



ing a very singular api>earance." 



The Stork is fond of making ita nest upon some i-lt-vat.-d *]>ot. such as the top of a house, 

 a chimney, or a church spire; and in the ruined cities of the Kast, almost .-very solitary pillar 

 hiut its Stork's nest uion the summit. The in-si is little more than a heterop-n.-ous Imndle of 

 sticks, reeds, and similar -ul-iances hea])ed together, and with a slight depression for the eggs. 

 These are usually three or four in number, and their color is white with a tinge of lu(T. The 

 young are puffy, big-l>eaked, long-necked, ungainly little things, and remain in their lofty 

 cradle until they are well tl.-dired and able to achieve the downward flight. The mother-bird 

 w exceedingly devoted to her young, and there are many well-known tales of this parental 

 affection. On account, probably, of this tmit of character, the Stork is looked ujxjn with a 

 feeling of reverence in many countries, and is encouraged to build its nest on the houses, the 

 inhabitant thinking that the 1-inl will )>ring him good fortune. 



The flight of the Stork is extremely high, and the birds fly in large flocks, in Home instances 

 numbering many thousand individuals. So great an aerial assembly of such large birds neces- 

 sarily causes a loud and peculiar rushing sound of huge wings ; but except an occasional sharp 

 clattering of beaks, the Mix-ks make no noise. Like many of the long- legged birds, the Stork, 

 when resting, stands on one leg, its neck doubled hack, and its head resting on its should. -r. 



The color of the adult Stork is pure white, with the exception of the quill-feathers of the 

 ings, the scapularies and greater wing-coverts, which are black. The skin round the eye is 

 black, the eyes are brown, and the (teak, legs, and toes red. The length of the full-grown 

 bird is about three feet six inches, and when .-rect. its head is about four feet from the ground. 



SOME remarkable members of this group now com.- before our notice. The first In the 

 well-known ADJUTANT, or AROALA of India, the former name being deriv.il from its habit of 

 frequenting the parade-grounds. 



This fine bird is notable fur tl normoii* size of the U-sik. which is capable of seizing and 



swallowing objects of considerable size, a full-grown cat, a fowl, or a leg of mutton being 



Vol. U.-JO. 



