THE STORK 247 



ankle. Thus it can sit upon its eggs just as comfortably as any 

 other bird. 



The heron measures about three feet in length from the point 

 of the beak to the end of the tail, while the wings, when spread, 

 are four feet and a half from tip to tip. From the back of the 

 head projects a crest of elongated feathers, the colour of which 

 is a beautiful slaty blue. 



THE STORK (Family ClCONlD^) 



The Stork forms the second family in the Herodiones. It is a 

 European bird, and one species is occasionally a visitor in England. 

 It extends to Turkey, Persia, and Central Asia, and spends its 

 winter (or some species do) in Northern Africa. 



The Ibises and Spoon-bills close the Herodiones, and then we 

 come to several Orders in which are some familiar forms. 



In some parts of Europe it is quite common to see a large pile 

 of sticks on the top of a house or a chimney. This is the nest of 

 the stork. The people in those countries think so much of this 

 bird that they even put boxes, old wheels, and so forth, on their 

 chimneys and other parts of their houses to induce it to build there. 

 The stork returns to the same nest year after year, and the people 

 welcome it as we do the swallows in this country. It builds its 

 nest of sticks, and, as it adds something to it every year, the 

 bundle gradually gets larger and larger. 



The stork is a large bird, standing more than three feet high. 

 In colour it is pure white, with the exception of the wings, which 

 are black, and the long, straight bill, and the legs, which are 

 red. 



This bird feeds upon small animals, such as frogs, lizards, 

 insects, &c.; and its flesh is not edible, so there is no reason for 

 killing it. In fact, in Egypt it is looked upon as a sacred bird, 

 and none of the natives will destroy it. 



The eggs of the stork are large and white. When the young 

 are hatched the parents are very attentive to them, and will risk 

 their own lives to preserve those of their offspring. There is a 



