BLACK STOEK 43 



BLACK STORK. Ciconia mgra (Linnaeus). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, ' Birds of Great Britain,' vol. iv, pi. 

 31; Dresser, 'Birds of Europe,' vol. vi, pi. 406; Lilford, 

 ' Coloured Figures,' vol. vii, pi. 16. 



This very rare British visitor has been obtained between 

 the months of May and November in the following coun- 

 ties : Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Kent, Middlesex, Oxford- 

 shire, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Durham, and also 

 in the Scilly Isles. 



The earliest record is that of a bird captured at West 

 Sedgemoor, Somerset, on May 13th, 1814. This specimen 

 is preserved in the British Museum. The most recent 

 capture appears to be that of an adult male from Northolt, 

 Harrow, Middlesex, obtained on July 25th, 1893 (Harting, 

 Handbook Brit. Birds, 1901, p. 439). From Scotland or 

 Ireland there are no authentic records. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Black, with a play of 

 colours shading from purple to lustrous metallic-green, 

 except the lower breast and abdomen, which are white. 



Adult female nuptial. Similar in plumage to the male. 



Adult winter, male and female. Similar to the nuptial 

 plumage. 



Immature, male and female. Dull metallic-brown, the 

 feathers being margined with impure white ; breast and 

 abdomen, white. 



BEAK. Bright red. 



FEET. Eed. 



IRIDES. Dark brown. 



EGGS. Shell rough in texture ; greyish- white in colour, 

 lining membrane green, which is seen when the egg is held 

 up to the light : clutch, four to five. 



AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH 38 in. 



WING 21 



BEAK 7'75 



TARSO-METATARSUS 8'25 ,, 



EGG ... 2-6x2 in. 



