AKASTOMCTS. BIRDS. 293 



dies, and are easily tamed. The young of the first year do not very materially dif- 

 fer in appearance from the full-grown birds. 



C. alba, Bellon. ( A. ciconia, Lin.) Common Stork. Body white ; 

 scapulars and wings black ; bill and feet red, the bill perfectly 

 straight ; naked skin round the eyes black ; iris brown. 3 feet 

 6 inches long. Inhabits Europe Shaw, xi. pi. 48. 



The White Stork, from its use in destroying reptiles, and the familiarity of its dispo- 

 sition, has long enjoyed the protection of man, and is a privileged bird in most coun- 

 tries of the world. In Holland, boxes are sometimes placed on the roofs of the 

 houses for the reception of its nest. It rarely visits England. The stork sleeps 

 upon one leg, and, before its migration, makes a singular snapping noise with 

 its bill. Previous also to this migration storks assemble in numerous flocks ; and 

 some idea of the number which thus change their residence may be conceived from 

 Dr Shaw mentioning that he saw three flights of them leaving Egypt, and passing 

 over Mount Carmel, each half a mile in breadth, and which took three hours in 

 passing. 



C. nigra, Bellon. Black Stork. Plumage above of a shining brown ; 

 the wings and tail blackish, with purple and green reflections ; 

 lower part of the breast and belly white ; naked skin of the eyes 

 and throat crimson-red ; bill straight, red ; iris brown. 3 feet 

 long. Inhabits Europe. Shaw 3 xi. 620. 



C. Maggiari, Tern. American Stork. Head, neck, back, tail, and 

 lower parts pure white ; feathers at the back of the neck long 

 and pendant ; wings and upper tail-coverts blackish, with green 

 reflections ; a large naked space below the throat ; this, with the 

 space round the eyes, crimson ; bill slightly bent upwards. 3 feet 

 long. Inhabits America. Tern. Man. 563. 



Gen. 13. A^ASTOMUS, Illig. 



Bill thick, much compressed, gaping towards the middle ; up- 

 per mandible denticulated on the margins, furrowed at the 

 base ; nostrils linear ; legs long, slender ; the three exterior 

 toes united by a short membrane ; hind toe jointed on the 

 same level as the others. 



A. Coromandelianus, Tern. Head, rump, belly, and wing-coverts 

 white ; face, upper part of the back, quills, and tail black ; sides 

 of the bill serrated ; tip dentated ; wings short. 14 \ inches long. 

 Inhabits India. Shaw, xi. 633 The only species of the genus. 



Gen. 14. SCOPUS, Briss. 



Bill compressed, soft, bent at the point ; upper mandible sur- 

 mounted in all its length by a projecting ridge, accompanied 

 by a groove ; nostrils oblique ; feet with four toes, the middle 

 one shorter than the tarsus, the outer toes connected by a 

 membrane to the first joint ; hind toe leaning on the ground. 



S. umbretta, Lath. Body of an uniform umber colour, the under 

 parts paler ; a dense crest of loose feathers on the occiput ; tail 

 with three or four bands of deeper brown. 20 inches long. South- 

 ern Africa. Shaw, xi. pi. 50. The only species of the genus. 



JL~. JLl 



