082 THE STORK. 



his streets as familiarly as if it had made them. It especially parades about the fish- 

 markets, where it finds no lack of subsistence in the offal ; and in Holland, where it is 

 very common, it does good service by destroying the frogs and other reptiles which would 

 be likely to become a public nuisance unless kept down by the powerful aid of this bird. 



The habits of the Stork are well told by Colonel Montague in his account of a Black 

 Stork (Ciconia nigra] domesticated by him. 



" Like the white Stork, it frequently rests upon one leg, and if alarmed, especially by 

 the approach of a dog, it makes a considerable noise by reiterated snappings of the bill, 

 similar to that species. It soon became docile, and would follow its feeder for its favourite 

 morsel, an eel. When very hungry, it crouches, resting the whole length of the legs upon 

 the ground, and suppliantly seems to solicit food by nodding the head, flapping its un- 

 wieldy pinions, and forcibly blowing the air from the lungs with audible expirations. 

 Whenever it is approached, the expulsion of air, accompanied by repeated noddirigs of the 

 head, is provoked. 



The bird is of a mild and peaceful disposition, very unlike many of its congeners, for 

 it never makes use of its formidable bill offensively against any of the companions of its 

 prison, and even submits peaceably to be taken up without much struggle. From the 

 manner in which it is observed to search the grass with its bill, there can be no doubt 

 that reptiles form part of its natural food ; even mice, worms, and the larger insects 

 probably add to its usual repast. When searching in thick grass or in the mud for 

 its prey, the bill is kept partly open ; by this means I have observed it take eels in 

 a pond with great dexterity ; no spear in common use for taking that fish can more 

 effectually secure it between its fangs than the grasp of the Stork's mandibles. A small 

 eel has no chance of escaping when once roused from its lurking-place. 



But the Stork does not gorge its prey instantly, like the cormorant ; on the contrary, 

 it reitres to the margin of the pond, and there disables its prey by shaking and beating it 

 with its bill before it ventures to swallow it. I never observed this bird attempt to swim, 

 but it will wade up to the belly and occasionally thrust the whole head and neck under 

 water after its prey. It prefers an elevated spot on which to repose ; an old ivy-bound 

 weeping willow that lies prostrate over the pond is usually resorted to for that purpose. 

 In this quiescent state the neck is much shortened by resting the hinder part of the head 

 on the back, and the bill rests on the fore part of the neck, over which the feathers flow 

 partly so as to conceal it, making a very singular appearance." 



The Stork is fond of making its nest upon some elevated spot, such as the top of a 

 house, a chimney, or a church spire ; and in the ruined cities of the East, almost every 

 solitary pillar has its Stork's nest upon the summit. The nest is little more than a 

 heterogeneous bundle of sticks, reeds, and similar substances heaped together, and with a 

 slight depression for the eggs. These are usually three or four in number, and their colour 

 is white with a tinge of buff. The young are puffy, big-beaked, long-necked, ungainly little 

 things, and remain in their lofty cradle until they are well fledged and able to achieve the 

 downward flight. The mother-bird is exceedingly devoted to her young, and there are many 

 well-known tales of this parental affection. On account, probably, of this trait of character, 

 the Stork is looked upon with a feeling of reverence in many countries, and is encouraged 

 to build its nest on the houses, the inhabitant thinking that the bird will bring him good 

 fortune. 



The flight of the Stork is extremely high, and the birds fly in large flocks, in some 

 instances numbering many thousand individuals. So great an aerial assembly of such 

 large birds necessarily causes a loud and peculiar rushing sound of huge wings ; but 

 except an occasional sharp clattering of the beaks, the flocks make no noise. Like many 

 of the long-legged birds, the Stork, when resting, stands on one leg, its neck doubled back, 

 and its head resting on its shoulder. 



The colour of the adult Stork is pure white, with the exception of the quill-feathers 

 of the wings, the scapularies and greater wing-coverts, which are black. The skin round 

 the eye is black, the eyes are brown, and the beak, legs, and toes red. The length of the 

 full-grown bird is about three feet six inches, and when erect, its head is about four feet 

 from the ground. 



