THE STORK. 321 



who, when the latter were feeble or sick, would bring them 

 food. 



This affection, however, appears to be mutual, for the parent 

 birds have a more than ordinary degree of affection for their 

 young, and have been known to perish rather than desert 

 them. An attachment of this sort once occasioned the death 

 of an old Stork, at the burning of the city of Delft, in Hol- 

 land. When the flames approached her nest, situated on a 

 house-top, she exerted herself to the utmost to save her young, 

 but finding every effort useless, she remained and perished 

 with them. Besides the Jews, other ancient nations held 

 these birds in veneration. A law among the Greeks, obliging 

 children to support their parents, even received its name from 

 a reference to these birds.* By the Romans it was called the 

 pious bird, and was also an emblem on the medals of such 

 Roman princes as merited the title of Pius. Of their attach- 

 ment towards each other, we can give another instance, which 

 occurred in this country. 



A gentleman had for some years been possessed of two 

 brown Cranes (Ardea pavonia) : one of them at length died, 

 and the survivor became disconsolate. He was apparently 

 following his companion, when his master introduced a large 

 looking-glass into the aviary. The bird no sooner beheld his 

 reflected image, than he fancied she for whom he mourned 

 had returned to him ; he placed himself close to the mirror, 

 plumed his feathers, and showed every sign of happiness. The 

 scheme answered completely : the Crane recovered his health 

 and spirits, passed almost all his time before the looking-glass, 

 and lived many years after, dying at length of an accidental 

 injury. 



In return for this attachment, the male expects the strictest 

 fidelity from his partner ; and it would seem, from the follow- 

 ing anecdotes that severe punishment awaits the mother sus- 

 pected of inconstancy. We do not recollect where the first 

 occurred, but the latter, which was seen by numbers of the 

 most respectable persons, and communicated from the best 



* IIeXapyi/co vojjtog. 

 Y 



