108- NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Utility Mildness Gaiety of one. 



filth, and clear the fields of serpents and reptiles. 

 On this account they are protected in Holland, 

 and held in high veneration by the Mahomedans; 

 and so greatly respected were they in times of 

 old by the Thessalonians, that to kill one of these 

 birds was a crime expiable only by death. 



Bellonius tells us that " the storks visit Egypt 

 in such abundance, that the fields and meadows 

 are white with them. Yet the Egyptians are not 

 displeased with this sight; as frogs are generated 

 in such numbers there, that did not the storks de- 

 vour them, they would overrun every thing. 

 Besides, they also catch and eat serpents. Be- 

 tween Belba and Gaza, the fields of Palestine are 

 often desert on account of the abundance of mice 

 and rats : and, were they not destroyed, the in- 

 habitants could have no harvest/' 



The disposition of this bird is mild, neither 

 shy A nor savage : it is an animal easily tamed ; and 

 may be trained to reside in gardens, which it 

 will clear of insects and reptiles. It has a grave 

 air, and a mournful visage: yet, when roused by 

 example, it shews a certain degree of gaiety ; for 

 it joins the frolics of children, hopping and play- 

 ing with them : " I saw in a garden (says Dr. 

 Hermann) where the children were playing at 

 hide-and seek, a tam,e stork join the party ; run in 

 its turn when touched; and distinguish the child 

 whose turn it was to pursue the rest, so well, as 

 along with the others, to be on its guard." See 

 the annexed engraving. 



