500 CLASS AVES. 



their knees. When the wings begin to grow, they exercise 

 themselves in hovering above the nest ; but it frequently 

 happens that some of them fall, and are unable to rise again. 

 To accustom them to fly, and to venture themselves in the air, 

 the mother exercises them in little circular flights around the 

 nest, leading them about, and bringing them back to their 

 habitation. 



It is said that the storks, notwithstanding the facility with 

 which they are tamed, do not multiply in a state of domes- 

 tication, even though they be left in entire liberty, placed in 

 large gardens, situated at the edge of a river, and planted 

 with lofty trees, and though they receive suitable food, in 

 sufficient abundance. 



When the white stork sleeps, or, without sleeping, is in a 

 state of rest, it remains on one foot, with the neck folded, the 

 head turned backwards and couched upon the shoulder. 

 Not unfrequently in this position does it watch the reptiles 

 destined for its prey, on which it fixes a piercing eye. Its 

 style of walking is the same as that of the crane — in measured 

 paces — carrying, as we have noticed above on the genus, the 

 entire leg and foot forward at once, which gives it the appear- 

 ance of being mounted on stilts. Its tongue is short, and 

 concealed at the entrance of the gullet. It swallows its food 

 by a kind of jerk of the bill, which carries it at once into the 

 throat; but when the animals on which it preys are too 

 bulky to be managed thus, it triturates and macerates them 

 in the bill for a good while previous to deglutition. 



The season for its departure from its more northern habi- 

 tat is towards the end of August. Previously to their 

 passing from one country into another, all the storks which 

 inhabit a certain district are accustomed to assemble in a 

 plain, for some little time, once a day. When the assembly is 

 complete, a great clattering of the bills is heard, the members 

 appear to seek out and recognize each other, and take counsel 

 for their departure, the signal for which, in our European 



