208 CICON1IDJ1. 



migrate in August rest awhile on their way south ; so during the 

 autumnal migration (which lasts, like the spring, for about a 

 month, the latter half of August and the first part of September) 

 this species is extremely numerous and seen around the environs 

 of Tangier in all directions ; they are very tame, and often follow 

 close behind the plough. 



" The superstition which shelters this bird from molestation 

 by the natives has been mentioned in my notes on the Swallow ; 

 but it may be added that some of the Arabs believe that the 

 Storks originate from a wicked Kadi and his family, who, as 

 a punishment for their great cruelty, were all changed into 

 these birds, and that these miseralles humble themselves to 

 appease Allah, and, in the hope of some day regaining their 

 original human form, pray without ceasing day and night, and 

 whenever they rest, prostrate themselves and clack their bills." 

 Favier. 



The White Stork, owing to the protection it everywhere 

 receives, is much more abundant in Morocco than in Audalucia, 

 although plentiful in some level districts in the latter country, 

 being most common in the marismas and in the vicinity of 

 Seville, nesting on some of the churches in that city. On the 

 African side of the Straits, in many situations they breed on 

 trees, generally in colonies, as well as on houses, but usually 

 near villages ; and almost every Moorish hovel has a Stork's nest 

 on the top, a pile of sticks lined with grass and palmetto-fibre. 

 It usually contains four white eggs, which are very rarely marked 

 with pink blotches ; these are sometimes laid as early as the 25th 

 of March, and are very good eating, either hot or cold. When 

 boiled hard, they have the white clear, as with Peewit's or 

 " Plover's " eggs, the yolk being of very rich reddish yellow. 



The White Stork is rather irregular as to the time of nesting, 

 for we found in Morocco, on the same day (the 25th of April), 

 young birds, eggs, and unfinished nests ; and, to show how 

 varied is the time of migration, saw on that day a flight of about 



