2z8 Storks ^ Cranes 



peasants of European countries consider themselves 

 when a pair of these birds select any particular house 

 as their nesting-home. 



Every one, too, knows how the German parents tell 

 their children that the storks bring the babies. 



In England, as, alas ! there are no storks, different 

 little harmless inventions are resorted to. 



Like the hoopoe, the stork is probably another 

 instance of a bird which would still come regularly 

 to the British Isles if it were not so persistently shot 

 as soon as one puts in an appearance. 



It may be argued that England being so much 

 more drained and cultivated, where formerly there was 

 marshy ground, is a sufficient reason for the disappear- 

 ance of the white stork. 



Long years ago it probably was a regular summer 

 resident. 



But about the marshes of Lincolnshire, the fens 

 of Cambridgeshire, and the Norfolk broads, not to 

 mention other localities, there is undoubtedly ground 

 on which the storks would find a good supply of food 

 in the shape of frogs, fish, mice, &c. Hardly a year 

 goes by without one hears of one or two storks being 

 shot. 



In Poole Harbour — about 1880, if I remember 

 right — three were seen together, one of which was 

 shot by Mr. Hart, of Christ Church, and its skin is 

 still to be seen, beautifully mounted, as an addition to 

 one of the most splendid collections of stuffed birds in 

 the kingdom. 



I believe it is Mr. Hart who tells an interesting 



