BOOK X. XXX. 59-xxxi. 61 



them of slackness, vvhile the rest sleep with their 

 head tucked under their wing, standing on either 

 foot by turns ; but the leader keeps a lookout with 

 neck erect and gives warning. (The same birds 

 when tamed are fond of play, and execute certain 

 circles in a graceful swoop, even one bird at a 

 time "). It is certain that when they are going to 

 fly across the Black Sea they first of all make for the 

 straits between the two promontories of Ramsbrow * 

 and Carambis, and proceed to ballast themselves 

 with sand ; and that when they have crossed the 

 middle of the sea they throw away the pebbles out 

 of their claws and, when they have reached the 

 mainiand, the sand out of their throats as well. 

 Cornelius Nepos, who died in the principate of the Thecrme 

 late lamented Augustus, when he wrote that the ■'''^ '''* "^'** 

 practice of fattening thrushes was introduced a Httle 

 before his time, added that storks were more in 

 favour than cranes, although the latter bird is noAv; 

 one of those most in request, whereas nobody will 

 touch the former. 



XXXI. Where exactly storks come from or where Thestork— 

 thev ffo to has not hitherto been ascertained. There !'^ "«>'■<'- 



J o lion. 



is no doubt that they come from a distance, in the 

 same manner as do cranes, the former being winter 

 visitors and the latter arriving in summer. When ■ 

 about to depart they assemble at fixed places, and 

 forming a company, so as to prevent any of their 

 class being left behind (unless one captured and in 

 slavery), they withdraw as if at a date fixed in advance 

 by law. No one has seen a band of storks departing, 

 although it is quite clear that they are going to depart, 

 nor do vve see theni arrive, but only see that they have 

 arrived; both arrival and departure take place in 



331 



