86 



CLASS AVE S. 



ORDER G HAL L AT O R I A. 



Heron-hawking was formerly a celebrated sport, and a penalty of twenty 

 shillings was imposed on any person taking the eggs. 



The Great Egret (A. Egretta) is entirely white, but much larger than 

 the preceding. Many of the feathers on the back are a foot and a half long, 

 extending beyond the tail ; the beak and irides are of a bright yellow ; the 

 legs green. It is common in Asia, some parts of Africa, and the south of 

 Europe : it is also found in America, which Stephens thinks may be another 

 species ; but Cuvier considers it as belonging to this. 



The Bittern (A. Stellarus) is about two feet six inches long ; the general 

 colour of the plumage is a dull yellow, variegated with spots, or bars of 

 black ; the crown of the head black ; the tail short ; irides yellow ; legs 

 green. It lives, in the rushes of large marshes, a solitary life, continuing 

 whole days in the same spot, where they sit with the head erect, so that 

 they can see without being seen. They are very fierce, and when wounded 

 will lie on their back and fight furiously with their beak and claws. 

 Mr. Markwick, in relating a circumstance of this kind, states that the 

 Bittern he had shot repulsed the dogs, nor could it be taken till it was 

 fired at again and killed. The eggs which are laid in April are hatched in 

 about three weeks ; and whilst the young are bringing up, which is about 

 two months, the male makes a curious noise like the bellowing of a bull, 

 whence Brisson has named it Botaurus, from bos and taurus. It also makes 

 another singular noise during the autumn evenings after sunset, well known 

 as the Bittern's drum. 



CICONIA Stork. This genus differs from the Herons in not having the 

 beak grooved, and in having the toes more webbed, and not serrated ; and 

 from the Cranes in having the nostrils close to the base of the beak, instead 

 of being distant from it, and in having the hind toe bear upon the ground, 

 instead of being some distance from it. 



The Ciconiae form a very interesting genus, on account of the readiness 

 with which they may be domesticated, their mild temper, and the service 

 they render in destroying the reptiles which in hot countries are so numerous 

 as to be a great inconvenience. They march unconcernedly about the fields, 

 and in the streets, picking up any offal with which they may chance to 

 meet, and on that account they are protected in Holland and Turkey. They 

 have no peculiar cry, except at the time of migration, but they make a 

 clacking noise by shutting the mandibles, which are broad and thin, smartly 

 and frequently. When the bird is irritated or alarmed, it throws the head 

 back in such a way as to make the beak parallel to the back, and strikes 

 the mandibles sharply against each other. They are migratory, not staying 

 in Europe later than August. 



There are four species the White Stork, common in Holland ; the Black 

 Stork, numerous in Hungary, Turkey, and Poland ; the American Stork, 

 native of the Brazils ; and the Gigantic Crane, the Argala of Bengal. This 

 last-named species is about five feet in height and seven in length, notwith- 

 standing which, and its immense beak, it is so great a coward, that a child 

 with a whip will put it to flight. 



The White Stork (C. Alba) is larger than the Common Heron, being 

 rather more than three feet and a half in length from the tip of the beak to 

 that of the tail ; general plumage white, with black wing-feathers ; beak 

 and legs red ; the eyes surrounded with a fold of naked skin of a reddish- 

 black colour: the females resemble the males, but the young are dis- 

 tinguished by the brownish tinge of their wings and the dusk)' redness of 

 their bills. These birds are fond of the haunts of men, and may be said to 

 be almost domestic, as in Holland they are frequently seen building on the 

 roofs of houses, where the inhabitants often place boxes for them in which 

 they make their nests. They are good tempered and easily tamed ; and 

 although inclined to a grave air and mournful appearance, will, when 

 amused by the fondness of children, play about and seem to join in their 

 sports, an instance of which, related by Dr. Hermann, is worthy of notice. 

 " In a garden," says he, " where the children were playing at hide and seek, 

 I saw a tame Stork join the party ; run its turn when touched ; and dis- 

 tinguish the child whose turn it was to pursue the rest so well, as along 

 with the others, to be on its guard." They build their nests in belfries, 

 tops of trees, or other inaccessible places, so that their offspring may be 



concealed ; and it is observed that they will return year after year to their 

 old haunts, as if thankful for the shelter afforded to them. They lay two 

 or four eggs at a time, which are rather larger than Goose's eggs, and of a 

 yellowish-white colour : the male supplies the place of the female occa- 

 sionally, during the time of incubation, when she leaves the nest to go in 

 search of food. After a month's sitting the young are hatched, and are 

 then covered with a brownish-coloured down: but the care of the parent 

 birds does not stop here, for one of them continues to watch over tin- young 

 whilst the other is out in quest of food, till they are able to leave their 

 nest. As a proof of their affection for their young, a celebrated story is 

 current in Holland, that when the city of Delft was on fire, a female Stork 

 in vain attempted several tunes to carry oft" her young ones ; and finding 

 she was unable to effect their escape, suffered herself to be burnt with 

 them. 



MYCTERIA Jabiru. This genus differs so little from the Cranes that 

 Temminck and Illiger include them in the genus Grus. In their liabits 

 they closely resemble the Cranes. There are three species, one of which, 

 the Senegal Jabiru (M. Senagalensis), is figured on Plate 14. This bird is 

 somewhat larger than a Swan ; the beak is red at the tip, and otherwise 

 white throughout, except a black spot at the base and a white stripe ou 

 each side ; the plumage white, except the scapulars, which are black, as 

 are also the neck and legs. It inhabits the western coast of Africa. 



SCOPUS Umbre. This genus, to which, from its umber colour, the 

 name Scopus has been applied, and rather oddly derived by Brisson from 

 oKta, a shadow, very nearly resembles the Ciconice, from which it is dis- 

 tinguished by the cutting ridge on the upper mandible, and by its lateral 

 grooves, in which the nostrils are placed. There is but a single species, 

 the Tufted Umbre (S. Umbretta), length twenty inches, of which the beak 

 is three and a half. The whole plumage is of a brown colour, similar to 

 the earth called umber, paler on the under parts, and palest on the shafts 

 of the neck feathers ; tail marked with three or four bars of a deeper hue, 

 and tipped with the same ; bill brown ; legs dusky. It is a native of the 

 Cape of Good Hope and Senegal. 



ANASTOMUS (called HIANS by Lacep., from hiare, to gape). This genus 

 was separated from the Herons by Illiger, on account of the open space 

 between the middle of the mandibles, and named by him in consequence 

 Anastomus. These birds nearly resemble the Storks in their mode of living ; 

 they are found on the banks of rivers and marshes, into which they enter, 

 but never attempt to swim. 



Two species are found the Indian Anastome (H. Typus), which is the 

 same as the Ardea Coromandeliana of Latham and Sonnerat. The other 

 is the African Anastome (H. Lamelligerus), which is remarkable for the 

 elongation of the shafts of the feathers of the neck, belly, and thighs, by a 

 shining black broad cartilaginous plate at the tip of each, which resembles 

 the feathers of G. Sonneratii (Plate 11). 



TANTALUS Scytfa-bill. This genus, according to the arrangement of 

 Linna?us and of Latham, included the genus Ibis, which has been separated 

 by Cuvier on account of the much weaker beak of the latter having no notch 

 in the upper mandible, and the nostrils opening into grooves, which extend 

 from its base nearly to its tip. The Scythe-bills are rarely found except 

 upon the swampy banks of rivers or ponds of fresh water, commonly in the 

 openings of woods. In their manners and gait they resemble the Stork, 

 and when gorged with food are as inactive as the Heron. 



There are four species the American Scythe-Mi (T. Loculator), about 

 three feet and two inches in length, or about the size of the Common Stork ; 

 the White-headed Scythe-bill (T. Leucocephalus), about three feet and a 

 half in length ; a native of the continent of India, and also of Ceylon ; the 

 African Scythe-bid (T. Ibis), about forty inches in length ; and the Milky 

 Scythe-bitt (T. Lacteus), figured on Plate 14. This species is only three 

 feet in length, and principally distinguished from th l^nncr by its orange- 

 yellow beak being shorter and weaker; by its nostrils being ovoid instead 

 of roundish; by the summit of the head and the ocular regions only being 

 bare, and by the throat being less naked ; the bare part of the head is red, 

 marbled more or less with black, the other naked parts are red only; the 



