ORDER GRALL.E. 497 



siognomy is mournful, and even melancholy, it will at times 

 exhibit a sort of gaiety. It has been observed to mingle in 

 the sports of "children, and, yielding itself to their playfulness, 

 to discover, in such amusements, proofs of intelligence. Grati- 

 tude, conjugal fidelity, filial and paternal piety, are moral 

 qualities which have been attributed to this bird, and some 

 facts, indubitably appear, to a certain extent, to support the 

 affirmative of this question. The stork has been observed to 

 shew marks of attachment to the hosts who have received it, 

 and permitted it to occupy an asylum near their dwelling. 

 It has even been asserted, though we think with some impro- 

 bability, that these birds clatter with their bills, in passing 

 before the doors of their former entertainers, to advertise 

 >them of their return, and in parting give a similar signal of 

 farewell. Their constancy, however, in returning annually 

 to the same places, is well known. Equally well known are 

 the signs of joy, and the caresses, which pass between the 

 male and the female, when they have arrived on their nest 

 after a long voyage. The suspicion or appearance of infi- 

 delity, will sometimes cost the female her life ; for if the eggs 

 of a hen be put into the nest, — a not unfrequent amusement in 

 the neighbourhood of Smyrna, where a great number of 

 storks nestle, — as soon as the chickens are disclosed, the male, 

 on beholding these strange beings, sets up a tremendous 

 noise. This attracts a multitude of other storks, who pro- 

 ceed immediately to despatch his companion with violent 

 blows of their bills, while she utters the most lamentable 

 cries.* 



The stork has an amazing affection for its young. It 

 feeds them for a long period of time, and never quits them, 

 until they have completely acquired the power of providing 

 for themselves. When they commence to flutter about the 



* For the tmth of this we cannot vouch ; it is in contradiction to the 

 probable fact, that the stork utters no cry. 



VOL. VIII. K K 



