PROTECTION AND RUBBISH 



informed, Honey-buzzards in France erect a barrier of green 

 boughs around the nest after the young are hatched, and 

 replace it from time to time as the leaves wither. Whether 

 this is intended to prevent the young birds from falling out 

 of the nest, or as a screen, is not quite clear ; probably it 

 serves both purposes. We can recall no other instance of a 

 bird acting in this manner. 



The White Stork (Ciconia alba) is looked upon in the 

 countries where it commonly dwells, such as Holland and 

 Germany, as the type of a devoted parent. It is par- 

 ticularly fond of making its nest on roofs and chimneys, 

 where a box, an old cart-wheel, or some similar accommoda- 

 tion is often provided for it by the householder, who regards 

 the bird with much favour, partly because it is an excellent 

 scavenger. The nest is a very rough structure of sticks, 

 lined with straw, dry leaves, feathers, rags, paper, or almost 

 any material that the bird finds at hand. When first built 

 it is quite a shallow affair, but the birds return year after 

 year and add a little each season, until at last it may attain 

 a height of several feet. Where there are no buildings, the 

 stork makes its nest on rocks or trees. During the nesting 

 season, or when annoyed, the birds throw their heads back 

 and make a loud clapping noise with their long, powerful 

 beaks. The sound can be heard at a considerable distance, 

 and it is possible to recognize it when a flock of storks is 

 passing overhead at so great a height as to be almost 

 invisible, as I have several times observed in the neighbour- 

 hood of Tangier in the early part of the year, when these 

 birds migrate northward. 1 



Though birds are the principal makers of basket-work, 

 they are not quite alone in practising that industry, for the 

 great man-like apes weave beds for themselves, and perhaps 



* J. L. 

 88 



