172 THE STORK. 



may be easily tamed, and trained to reside in gardens, 

 which it will always keep clear of insects and reptiles. 

 The Stork builds her nest on the tops of houses, or 

 churches, and often in the midst of cities. In Holland, 

 the people prepare boxes for them to build in, as we 

 do for the martens. These birds also build in forests, 

 always selecting the tallest trees for this purpose. 



The nest is constructed with admirable skill and 

 great labour. The materials of which it is built, are 

 dry sticks from the woods, and coarse grass from the 

 ' marshes. Throughout the whole progress of building, 

 every thing is done in the most exact and workman- 

 like manner, and when the structure is finished, she 

 examines every part of it, tries its firmness with her 

 bill, supplies any defects which she observes, 

 breaks off any ill-looking part, and does not occupy 

 it until the whole agrees with her ideas of comfort 

 and safety. 



The natural history of the Stork, seems to have 

 been well known to the sacred writers ; and she ap- 

 pears in all ages to have been a particular favourite 

 with mankind. The mutual love which a pair of these 

 birds bear towards each other, the care which they 

 take of their young, and the tenderness with which 

 they treat their parents in old age, have been celebra- 

 ted as examples worthy to be imitated by human 

 beings. 



The Stork never deserts its parents, but defends 

 and feeds them with the utmost tenderness, particu- 

 larly when they grow old, and unable to take care of 

 themselves. 



A Danish author gives, from his own observations, 



