388 WHITE STORK. 
easterly direction. Northward, the occurrences of this species 
become less frequent, and in Scotland they are rare, though extend- 
ing to the Orkneys and Shetlands ; while still fewer are known on 
the west side of Great Britain. In Ireland six are on record. 
In Norway the White Stork has been found as far north as Bergen, 
and is a yearly visitor to the south, where, however, it is not 
encouraged to breed, as it is in Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Germany 
and the greater part of Central Europe. In France, Italy, Sicily, 
Sardinia and Malta it is of irregular appearance ; but in the Spanish 
Peninsula it nests freely on the towers and belfries of churches in 
towns, and on the ‘almiares’ or stacks of the farm-houses, as well as 
on trees. It is equally abundant in Slavonia and the Danubian 
Provinces, although not specially protected there; as well as in 
Turkey and Southern Russia ; but in Greece and the Archipelago it 
is lesscommon. It breeds in Asia Minor, and sparingly in Palestine, 
which it visits in great numbers (Canon Tristram says tens of 
thousands) on migration ; while it ranges to Central Asia and India, 
Mr. Parker having even found it nesting as far south as Ceylon, in 
December. In China and Japan the representative species is 
C. boyciana, with black bill and red lores. In the west, the White 
Stork is a wanderer to the Canaries, and it is numerous from early 
spring to autumn in North Africa, where a few remain during the 
winter; but the majority pass southward—immense numbers 
migrating through Egypt—as far as Natal and Cape Colony. 
The nest, built of sticks, and added to year by year, is usually 
placed on buildings, or on cart-wheels set up for the use of the bird, 
in Holland and other parts of the Continent ; but trees and the 
ledges of cliffs are also utilized. The eggs, 3-5 in number, are 
pure white: measurements 2°8 by 21 in. The yolk is of a very 
deep orange-colour. Incubation, which lasts a month, begins by 
March 25th in Morocco, but is later in the north. The old bird feeds 
the young by inserting its beak within the mandibles of the nestling, 
and then disgorging the food ; this consists of frogs, reptiles, fish, 
grasshoppers and other insects, worms, small mammals and young 
birds. During the breeding-season Storks keep up a constant 
clattering with their bills. The pleasing legend of the conjugal 
fidelity of this species is quite unfounded on fact. 
The adult has the bare skin round the eye black ; plumage white, 
except the quills, which are black frosted with grey; bill, legs and 
feet red. Length 40 in.; wing 23 in. In the young the quills are 
dull black, while the feet and legs are brownish-red. 
