348 LOCAL HAUNTS. [CHAP. vni. 



assisted by the partial web which connects his broad 

 flat toes. The resemblance of the claws to the nails of 

 the human hand has long been noticed, but, I believe, 

 not before specially figured as now. As far as we can 

 judge of the expression of the bird's sentiments, it ap- 

 pears, when once made captive, to lose the desire of 

 journeying into other climes, and to attach itself for 

 good to the residence of its owner. I almost believe 

 that it might be trusted, after a time, with the free use 

 of unpinioned wings, were not the precautionary muti- 

 lation necessary, in this country, to save it from destruc- 

 tion by wanton, or malicious, or dishonest gunners. I 

 now resign the hope of myself founding a colony of 

 Storks hereabouts, but am informed that Lord Wode- 

 house has lately settled a pair in his grounds at Kirn- 

 berley, and perhaps his lordship's protection may be 

 more efficient than that of a mere humble country 

 clergyman has proved to them. 



Storks are capricious in the selection of their local 

 haunts. " The Stork does not visit the Peninsula of 

 the Crimea ; on the contrary, the small Crane, called 

 the Numidian Virgin, is very frequent, and constructs 

 its nest in open plains, chiefly in the vicinity of salt- 

 lakes. The young birds are brought to market by the 

 Tartars in great numbers, and are speedily tamed, 

 insomuch that they afterwards breed even in farm- 

 yards."* England, for some unexplained reason, never 

 has been a great resort of the White Stork, although 

 it is found at much greater distances from its German 

 head summer quarters. 



From M. Sundevall's good and original account of the 



* Pallas's Travels in the Southern Provinces of Russia, vol, ii, 

 p. 460. 



