THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 453 



interesting to have seen how far this attempt at nesting would 

 have progressed. But owing to the want of fresh water and suitable 

 food, it is hardly likely that a pair of Storks could have continued 

 to exist here for any length of time. 



It is surprising that the Stork, which is so very confidential in the 

 immediate vicinity of its nest, exhibits a corresponding amount of 

 caution and shyness at a distance of a few hundred paces away from 

 it. This is the more singular, because, as a rule, the bird is not sub- 

 jected to annoyance or injury in the localities where it makes its 

 homo. Unfortunately, however, such is not the case in the north 

 of France, where either pursuit, or want of consideration, has 

 completely driven the birds from their former nesting haunts. Nor 

 does this bird breed in England ; indeed, it has never been allowed 

 to get so far even as to make the attempt ; because, for centuries, 

 it has been the habit in that country to shoot down as curiosities 

 such of the birds as arrive there singly, or in small companies, in 

 the spring. 



With these exceptions, the Stork is found nesting from western 

 Europe to central Asia, and from the latitude of northern Sweden 

 south to that of north Africa. 



254. Black Stork [SCHWARZER STORCH]. 



CICONIA NIGRA, Cuvier. 1 

 Heligolandish : Swart Oadeboar = Black Stork. 



Ciconia nigra. Naumann, ix. 279. 



Black Stork. Dresser, vi. 309. 



Cigogne noire. Temminck, Manuel, ii. 561, iii. 370. 



During my long ornithological experience, this bird has only 

 been seen three times on this island, but unfortunately was not ob- 

 tained on any of these occasions, all the birds displaying such extra- 

 ordinary shyness that it was impossible to get near them. The 

 last of these occasions was when a pair visited the island during 

 the spring, some thirty years ago. In spite of all efforts, I was 

 unable to get within shooting range, even with a rifle ; although 

 at that time I considered myself quite equal to hitting a mark, 

 such as furnished by these birds, at a distance of from one hundred 

 and fifty to two hundred paces. 



The rarity of this bird's visits to Heligoland is explained by the 

 situation of its summer quarters. Its breeding range very rarely 

 extends to the north of the Baltic, but up to that limit of latitude 



1 Ciconia niyra (Linn.). 



