THE CHARACTER OF THE STORK. 329 



The lady began by betraying the confidence of him with whom she 

 had united her destinies ; his presence had evidently become in- 

 supportable to her, and she finally killed him with the help of her 

 accomplice. 



These errors of the female render the high morality of the male bird 

 more conspicuous. Witness the following story, related by Neander : — 



A number of storks had taken up their abode in the market- 

 town of Tangen, in Bavaria. Perfect harmony reigned in every 

 family, and their lives were passed in happiness and freedom. 

 Unfortunately, a female, who had been up to that time the most 

 correct of matrons, allowed herself to be led away by the idle 

 gallantries of a young male ; this took place in the absence of her 

 mate, who was engaged in seeking food for his family. This guilty 

 liaison continued until one day the male, returning unexpectedly, 

 became convinced of her infidelity. He did not, however, venture to 

 take the law into his own hands. He arraigned her before a tribunal 

 composed of all the birds at the time assembled for their autumnal 

 migration. Having stated the facts, he demanded the severest 

 judgment of the court against the accused. The unfaithful spouse 

 was condemned to death by unanimous consent, and was immedi- 

 ately torn in pieces. As to the male bird, although now avenged, 

 he departed to bury his sorrows in the recesses of some desert, and 

 the place which once knew him afterwards knew him no more. 



The Storks of the Levant manifest a still greater susceptibility. 

 The inhabitants of Smyrna, who know how far the males carry their 

 feelings of conjugal honour, make these birds the subject of rather a 

 cruel amusement by placing Hens' eggs in the nest of the Stork. At 

 sight of this unusual production the male allows a terrible suspicion 

 to gnaw his heart. By the help of imagination, he persuades himself 

 that his mate has betrayed him ; and in spite of the protestations of 

 the poor thing, he delivers her over to the other storks, who are 

 attracted by his cries, and the innocent and unfortunate victim is 

 pecked to pieces. 



Besides the numerous virtues that we have just stated — parental 

 love, conjugal fidelity, chastity, and gratitude — the ancients attributed 

 to them filial piety. They believed that these birds maintained and 

 nourished their parents in their old age, and devoted themselves to 

 alleviating the trials of the last years of their lives with the most 

 tender care. Hence was derived the name of the " Pelargonian 

 Law" (from the Greek -n-eXapybs, a crane), the name given by the 

 Greeks to the law which compelled children to maintain their 

 parents when old age had rendered them incapable of working. 



