174 ARDEID.E. 



We have had so many opportunities of observing the habits 

 of the Stork in Holland, that we are enabled to give a full 

 account of this ornamental and cherished bird, whose person 

 is in that country held sacred. 



The chosen locality of the Stork is low and marshy pasture- 

 land, intersected by ditches, canals, rivers, and lakes. Here 

 this bird may be seen, either stalking about the meadows, or 

 standing on one leg by the water side, watching the approach 

 of its finny prey, or ready to pounce upon some luckless frog 

 or unwary bird. 



The Stork is by nature far from shy ; and the respect in 

 which it is held very much increases its confidence, making it, 

 as it were, a domesticated inhabitant on every farm. Supersti- 

 tion has a great deal to do with the kindliness with which men 

 regard the Stork in Holland, since it is believed that good- 

 fortune forsakes the farmer when these annual visitors do not 

 return. The birds, thus sure of a welcome reception, and also 

 of finding protection and plenty of food, are not likely to 

 neglect to return ; and we have never known a single instance 

 of this bird being shot at, or wilfully killed, by any person on 

 the Continent of Europe. 



The Stork almost invariably chooses an elevated object on 

 which to place its nest : in many parts of Holland it is a very 

 common thing to see a Stork's nest on the top of a chimney of 

 a farm-house ; or on a tall pole placed near the farm -yard, 

 which is year after year kept standing, properly repaired, 

 and supplied with a flat piece of board on the top, for the sole 

 purpose of receiving the nest of the pair that annually return 

 to inhabit it. 



The food of the Stork is, as before mentioned, principally 

 fish, reptiles, and small birds ; and as there is hardly a country 

 where these can be found in greater plenty than in Holland, 

 it is no wonder that it thrives so well. Many a time have 

 we seen the Stork rise from the ground with a live eel in its 



