THE STORKS 145 
birds’ actions by reading himself into their lives, 
the sooner he may get at the real truth of the 
matter. I say this because I have been asked so 
often the question, Why do the Storks behave in 
this curious way? I don’t know, and at present I 
don’t think any man knows; for if they are on a 
journey the only stop you would think they would 
make would be for rest or food, yet for hours, 
sometimes almost for the best part of a day, they 
do stop over one spot, and you will see these vast 
flocks high up, so that they look like mere specks, 
going round and round, sometimes higher, some- 
times lower, but never going far from some unseen 
centre of attraction till the spirit moves them; 
and swinging out of the great circle, they one by 
one take their places in the wake of some chosen 
leader to the land to which they would go. 
The White Stork makes a curious clattering 
noise with its bill. Its food is mainly derived from 
the water; and frogs, a plague of which is always 
over Egypt, are favourite morsels. 
If sailing down the river you chance on a-large 
flock resting on some sandbank, you will see a 
picture which would be exceedingly difficult to 
surpass in beauty and interest. The white of the 
great masses of birds comes in fine contrast with 
19 
