THE "SADDLED STORK.' 
381 
four or five of his congeners. He seeks his food on the sand-banks of 
the rivers, or those of the swamps and marshes which are so common 
in the treeless tracts of country. He appears to feed almost entirely 
upon vegetable substances. 
We find his nest always on the ground, at no great distance from a 
pool or stream. It is built up with small twigs and bits of branches, 
and generally contains a couple of large white eggs. His flesh is not 
considered edible. The large and beautiful quills are used for pens 
or pipes, according to their size. 
ABOUT THE JA'BIRU. 
To the same family as the storks and adjutants belongs the 
jabiru, — his distinctive character being the slight upward curve of the 
bill. There are not many species, but they are widely distributed over 
Africa, Australia, and South America. 
Let us take as a type the jabiru of the Senegal (Mycteria Sene- 
galensis), which is popularly known as the " saddled stork." Rightly 
is he described as a strong and handsome bird. The head, neck, upper 
part of the wings, shoulders, and tail .are of a glossy black, shining 
with metallic lustre ; this forms a striking contrast to the dazzling 
whiteness of the rest of the body. The eye is of a golden yellow ; the 
beak red at the base, black in the middle, and blood-red at the 
extremity ; while the cere, which surmounts the beak in the shape of a 
saddle, and is surrounded by a narrow ring of black feathers, is, like 
the eye, yellow as "glistering gold." 
To understand the full beauty of the bird, and the strong impres- 
sion he produces on the naturalist, we need to see him in his state 
of freedom, — to see him running with graceful speed, flying with 
graceful boldness, and wheeling in bold circular sweeps above the 
forest-trees. He marches proudly, with body erect, like a soldier ; 
and his long legs seem to give him a height which is not really due 
to his stature. He is splendid when on the wing, — the white remiges 
contrasting admirably then with the jet-black of the wing-coverts. 
Unfortunately, says Brehm, he is so suspicious and mistrustful that he 
afibrds few opportunities to the naturalist of studying his habits. 
