CICONIID^. 195 



Bitterns in their powers of flight, and with their strong 

 wdngs are able to undertake vast aerial journeys, so that 

 the Common Stork may serve equally well with the 

 Swallow as our type of a migratory bird. Every spring 

 countless numbers of these great white birds pour north- 

 w-ards towards Palestine on the right, and Central and 

 Westward Europe on the left, through the great funnel of 

 the Nile Valley, and distribute themselves over an exten- 

 sive area for their summer-quarters. The British Islands 

 are too far to the west for their range, although they come 

 very near to us in Holland, where, throughout the sum- 

 mer, they are most conspicuous objects in the landscape, 

 as they may be seen standing on the roof of almost every 

 house. The Black Stork is a species of Eastern Africa 

 and Asia, which does not extend itself so far to the west 

 as the Common Stork, and instances of its occurrence any- 

 where in England are, as might be expected, extremely 

 rare. We have met with both species in British Kaffraria, 

 w^iere the White Stork is knowni as the " Great White 

 Locust-bird," as flocks occasionally make their appearance 

 on the frontier of the colony, following the flights of 

 locusts in January. On account of their valuable services 

 in destroying these destructive insects they are not molested, 

 and were so tame that we once walked through a flock at 

 rest, scattered about over the "veldt," looking like so 

 many sheep, and taking just as little notice of us as those 

 animals would in England, although we carried guns. 



White Stork. Ciconia alia, IJechst. 



A casual visitor of very rare occurrence. 



From tlie abundance of this bird in Holla iid, where it arrives \villi 

 preat re^'ularity about I8th March, leavinj^ af;ain lor the far south towards 

 the end of August, we mi<^ht well e.\])ect it to visit us more tVe(juentiy 

 tlian it does. It is, however, a very rare straggler, except where il might 

 be reasonably looked for, ou our eastern coasts, in the county of 2sorl'olk 



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