WADING BIRDS.
The birds of this order are more or less bare above the knees; their legs are so long, that they have the appearance of standing on stilts. They may be tamed at any age, but this is best done when they are young. I shall only give here the following species.
THE WHITE STORK.
Ciconia alba, Linnæus; La Cicogne blanche, Buffon; Der Weisse Storch, Bechstein.
The stork may be considered as half domestic, since it constantly builds on the tops of houses, on churches or towers in the midst of villages, and even towns[124]. Its beak is long and
powerful, of a blood red colour, as are its legs and feet. It has a naked black ring round its eyes; the wings are black; the rest of the plumage white.
Observations.—It is a bird of passage, which quits Europe the end of September, and returns in April. It feeds on fish, amphibious animals, field-mice, moles, and even weasels, which it catches coming out of their holes. It also eats insects, especially bees, which it catches by the beakfull on flowers. Its nest is only a heap of dry sticks woven together, and it occupies the same nest every year, after repairing it a little. I have been assured, that some nests have lasted a hundred years; and the circumference often becomes covered with sparrows and swallows’ nests. The male and female never separate, and are a true model of conjugal fidelity. If the young ones are taken from the nest, and fed on frogs and meat, they may be rendered so tame that they will go a league from the house, and return again regularly. At the time of their flight, in September, the wings of those that are to be kept through the winter should be clipped, and they should be kept in a temperate place, as their feet are very sensible to cold. They become so familiar that they will enter the room during meals, to be fed on meat from the table. A clapping with their beak expresses either anger or affection. It is very pleasing to see a tame stork circling round the house, and descending insensibly in a long spiral line till it reaches the ground.