THE WADING AND SWIMMING BIRDS. Lag, 
143, is nearly three feet 
long. There is an al- 
lied species in South 
America called the 
Boat-bill. 
287. The Storks are 
among the largest birds 
of this order, but they 
are less aquatic than the 
other families. They 
. are shaped much like 
< the Cranes, but have 
not the pendent plumes 
in the tail. They are 
abundant in Europe, 
: Asia, and Africa. They 
Fig. 143.—White Spoon-bill. winter in the latter 
country. They build 
their nests in towers, chimneys, and steeples, or in the 
broadly-spreading branches of a cedar or pine. In Hol- 
land, a kind of false chimney is built by the inhabitants 
for these birds to make their nests in. They live on rats, 
mice, frogs, and sometimes carrion or offal, and for this 
reason they are held in esteem, especially in the Eastern 
countries. The Adjutant of India, which is so useful in 
destroying vermin and offal, is one of the Stork family. 
So is also the sacred Ibis of Egypt, which figures so often 
in their hieroglyphics. 
288. The distribution of the Snipe family is very gen- 
eral. Their food consists of insects, worms, slugs, aquat- 
ic mollusks, ete., which they obtain by thrusting their 
long and slender bills into mud or moist earth. Their 
bills are accordingly provided with nerves, so that they 
may know at once whenever they strike upon their prey. 
The flesh of these birds is held in high esteem. The 
Woodcock of this country has its counterpart in Europe. 
The Curlews, of which you have an example in Fig. 144, 
H 2 
