THE STORKS 147 
contradiction of what we are generally told is the 
ordinary habit of shunning their own species is 
only another of the endless cases that I have met 
with of the variation of the individual in absolutely 
everything. All that can be done is to give what 
is believed to be the average customary habit, but 
ever be prepared for individuals contradicting the 
rule. To dogmatise as to what a child or a bird 
will do is always March madness. The Black Stork 
is like his white cousin, of great use in keeping 
down the Egyptian plague of frogs. 
