144 THE BOOK OF BIRDS 



Bahj Storks are queer puffy uncouth little beings, with 

 long necks and large beaks. There are usually three or 

 four of them in the nest, and very helpless babies they are 

 for quite a long while after they are hatched out. 



When the time comes for them to learn to fly they take 

 rather long about it. Perhaps this is as well, for their 

 nursery is usually in a very high place and a fall might 

 mean being killed instantly. Here is a good description of 

 their first attempts : " They begin by moving round the 

 nest flapping their wings ; then they take a little jump 

 and learn to support themselves for a moment in the air, 

 rising higher each time, but taking care always to keep 

 over the nest until they are able to remain in the air for 

 half a minute or so." Then, grown bolder and more 

 confident, they make short trial trips round the chimney- 

 stack or all round the roof; and so the journeys lengthen, 

 till they are able to fly whither they will. 



Of the love and devotion of the parent birds to their 

 fluffy nestlings I have already given an example. Here is 

 another which is even more charming. I have had it for 

 many years, and have not seen it reprinted in any book. 

 It is from a Swiss newspaper, the Nachrichten of Basle, but 

 it concerns a Stork family in a German village — the village 

 of Lowenberg. 



During a great storm the lightning struck a barn, on 

 the roof of which the nest was built. Flames began to 

 dart out from the woodwork, and the parent birds, watch- 

 ing from a little distance, were in much distress. 



Presently the mother flew to the nest, seized one of 

 her babies in her beak and bore it away to a safe spot in 

 a neighbouring meadow. The father mounted guard over 

 the poor little scared creature, while the mother went 

 back for another of her babies. Only one remained, and 



