Birds. 2701 



place or appear previously to those mentioned to belong to that bird, but, reasoning 

 from analogy, I think it is probable to be so. It was shot in one of the moors about 

 five miles south from hence, by the same person who shot on the same spot a spoon- 

 bill, on the 25th of November last, as I think I before mentioned to you. What in- 

 jury this poor fellow has received besides a low fracture of the wing I have not time 

 to examine before the post goes ; but the man assures me it has fed on eels and other 

 small fish since Tuesday last, the 31st ult. * * * 



" I am, my dear sir, 



" Yours obliged, &c, 

 " To Geo. Montagu, Esq." " Robt. Anstice." 



" Knowle, June 5, 1814. 



" My Dear Sir, 



" Your kind favour is just received ; and as you seem desirous of hearing 

 from me immediately, supposing it will reach you before the bird takes its departure, 

 I have taken my pen to say that the bird will be acceptable to me, either dead or 

 alive. It is not easy for me to determine, by your short description, what it may be ; 

 and I confess I should not expect, from the history of the stork, as far as I have been 

 able to learn, that it can be of that species, because at this season most birds appear 

 in mature plumage. 



" It is true the stork is brown, as well beneath as above, in its first plumage ; but 

 I suspected the whole assumed the white attire on the return of the following spring. 

 If it should turn out to be what has been called the black stork (Ardea nigra), which 

 is also an European species, it would be a greater rarity, as at present no instance is 

 on record of its having been seen at large in England. The upper part of these birds 

 is of a violet-brown, in some parts glossed with green ; from the breast to the vent 

 white ; throat and neck brown, dotted with white. * * * 



" Yours ever, dear sir, 



" G. Montagu," 

 " To Robt. Anstice, Esq." 



" Knowle, June 12, 1814. 

 " Dear Sir, 



" Knowing that you will be anxious to hear of the arrival of the stork, I can- 

 not delay repeating my best thanks for so valuable an acquisition. * * It arrived 

 at Knowle about 5 o'clock in the evening, when it took some fish as soon as liberated. 

 The poor fellow was put into a walled garden, having a large pan of water. * * * 

 If I can furnish fish enough, or by degrees induce him to eat flesh, he is likely to live 

 and repay me by the examination of his manners, and perhaps some change of 

 plumage, which I think a few dark glossy green feathers on his back indicate. It is 

 certainly the black stork, and the only instance of this bird having varied its longitu- 

 dinal flight so much to the west. * * * By drooping the left wing I conclude it 

 has a tendonous wound, which prevents flying. * * * How fortunate it is that 

 this solitary instance of this eastern inhabitant straying into this country should have 

 come to the knowledge of a scientific person ! Had it not been for your zeal, so valu- 

 able an acquisition to the fauna of British birds would have most probably perished 

 VIII K 



