ORDER GRALLiE. 501 



climates, is the north wind. But these assemblies, at times, 

 do not take place without tumult, nor even without fighting. 

 When the moment of setting out is arrived, all the birds 

 arise together, and are soon lost sight of in the cloudy heights 

 of the atmosphere. This departure is the more difficult to 

 be observed, inasmuch as it takes place in silence, and often 

 in the night. Unlike the clamorous cranes, and wild geese, 

 no cry, no noise of any description, announces the flying 

 troop. Like well disciplined warriors, they proceed in order 

 and in silence, while the others, just mentioned, have been 

 often compared, not unaptly, by the poets, to tumultuary 

 hordes of barbarians, rushing to the combat, or retreating 

 from the victorious foe. 



In all probability, it is not the cold which determines the 

 migrations of the stork. Those which are retained in a 

 domesticated state, are exposed to all vicissitudes of weather, 

 without appearing to suffer any detriment. These birds, 

 more likely, travel for the purpose of procuring subsistence in 

 greater abundance, or more suitable to their taste. Egypt 

 and Barbary appear to be the southern countries to which 

 they principally retire ; for in autumn, and during winter, 

 the plains of those countries are covered with them. How- 

 ever, all the storks do not quit Egypt even in the summer. 

 Sonnini has frequently met with them in the months of June 

 and July, in the environs of Thebes, and in Upper Egypt, 

 during the midst of summer ; but then they are not to be 

 seen in the northern parts of that kingdom. They advance 

 pretty far in the northern hemisphere, for they are found in 

 Sweden, in Russia, and in Siberia. They also inhabit 

 throughout all Asia, even as far as Japan, where, as in Egypt, 

 they are stationary ; but in all countries, they avoid deserted, 

 dry, and barren grounds, where they could not possibly exist. 



In this country, the white stork is a very rare bird. Pen- 

 nant takes no notice of it. Montague mentions one killed 

 at Sandwich, in Kent, in 1805, and another in Hampshire 



