FIFTH DAY. 87 
it were unhappily fruitless. A pair of Black Kites, still busy 
nest-building, were cruising about over the trees, the songs of 
the Orioles and the cooing of the Turtle-Doves resounded on 
every side, and the choicest of our feathered songsters were 
tuning their lovely pipes among the bushes. 
A fortunate wind had driven the storm southwards ; again 
the deep blue sky shone overhead, and if the mosquitoes had 
not been so savage and the heat so oppressive we should have 
heartily enjoyed this beautiful afternoon. While thus occupied 
in observing and in searching for nests, Brehm and I had 
penetrated a long way into the wood, when a glance at the 
time compelled us to hurry back, and, streaming with perspira- 
tion, we reached the ambush where Leopold was still waiting 
for the unaccommodating Osprey. Accompanied by him, 
we continued our homeward route, taking, however, this 
opportunity of visiting a neighbouring Black Stork’s nest, 
where I missed the bird as it flew off. 
A few hundred yards further on we saw six or seven of these 
splendid waders, standing motionless on the lower branches 
of some oaks at the edge of a high wood opposite a young 
plantation. I imagine that these were birds which had been 
scared from their nests, and had chanced to meet at this favour- 
able point of outlook, where they were now waiting to see what 
was going to happen. We crept cautiously up. The storks 
were standing like leaden soldiers, near each other, and just at 
the same height from the ground. My brother-in-law put up 
his rifle, and, after a long careful aim, fired, and the bullet strik- 
ing one of the long-legged fellows in the side, brought him to 
the ground. I was also ready to shoot, and hardly had Leopold 
achieved his masterly shot when I let drive both barrels at 
the birds as they flapped away, and a hard-hit stork separated 
itself from its comrades, and, taking a great circular sweep, 
dropped in the high wood. We hurried off towards the 
place where we had lost sight of it, and were lucky enough 
