Ardea grus. This is a large bird, not unfrequently weighing ten pounds, and measures more than five feet in length. This species seems far spread, being met with in great flocks throughout northern Europe and Asia, in Sweden, Russia throughout, and Siberia as far as the river Anadyr, migrating even to the Arctic Cir cle. In Kamtschatka only seen on the southern promontory ; are migratory, re turning northward to breed in the spring, and generally choosing the same places which had been occupied by them the season before. In the winter they inhabit the warmer regions, such as Egypt, A lep po, India, Ste. they are also met with at the Cape of Good Hope, changing placc with the season. In their migrations fre quently fly so high as not to be visible, their passage only being known by the noise they make, being louder than that of any other bird. In France they are seen in spring and autumn ; but for the most part are mere passengers. We are told that they frequented the marshes of Loncolnshire and Cambridgeshire, in vast flocks, formerly ; but the case is al tered, as of late none have been met with, except, a few years since, a single bird shot near Cambridge. We are told that they make their nests in marshes, and lay two bluish eggs. The young birds are thought very good food. They feed on reptiles of all kinds, and in turn on green corn ; of which last they are said to make so great havock, as to ruin the farmers wherever the flocks of these de predators alight.
Ardea ciconia, or white stork, is the size of a turkey, inhabits in turns the various parts of the old continent, avoid ing alike the extremes of heat and cold, being never met with between the tro pics, nor scarcely ever seen more north than Sweden, or in Russia beyond 50°. It never frequents Siberia, though it is sometimes found in Bucharia, where it makes its nest, tending towards the south in autumn, to winter in Egypt. It is rare ly met with in England, though well known in France and Holland. They every where build on the tops ef houses, and the good natured inhabitants provide boxes for them to make their nests in ; they not only do this, but are particularly careful that the birds suffer no injury, re senting it as done to themselves. At Bag dad they are to be seen on every house, wall, and tree, quite tame. At Persepolis the remains of the pillars serve them to build on, every pillar having a nest. They are thought to have two broods in a year, the first towards the north, the latter in warmer places ; and are seen in vast flocks during their migrations. The fe
male makes a large nest, and lays from two to four eggs. The young are hatch• ed in a month ; the inale and female watch them by turns till they can provide for thentselves. The stork sleeps on one leg, and snaps with its bill in a singular man lier. Its food consists in snakes and other reptiles ; hence the veneration of all per sons for this bird. which frees them from such pest..
Ardea stellaris, or bittern. This is an elegant species, and is somewhat less than the heron; length two feet six inches; the bill brown, benelth inclining to green; irides yellow ; the h.. feathers are long, and those of the neck loose and waving ; the crown of the head black ; the lower jaw on each side dusky ; the plumage in general is beautifully varieg-ated; the ground a feouginons y-ellow, palest be neath, marked, with numerous bars, streaks, and zigzag lines of black ; the legs are pale green ; claws long and slender ; and the inner edge on the middle claw serrated. The female is less, darker co loured, and the feathers on the head and neck lessitowing than in the male. This is a common bird, we believe, in most of the temperate parts of the continent of Europe ; in some of the colder, migrato ry ; with us it remains the whole year; frequents marshy places, and especially where reeds grow, among which it makes its nest, in April, which is chiefly com posed of a bed °flushes, gr.c. The female lays four or five eggs, of a pale greenish ash colour • the young are hatched in twentyllays. It is an indolent bird, stirring v ittle in the day unless dis turbed; though if once roused is not dif ficult to shoot, as it flies heavily-. In the evening, after sun-set, it is seen to soar aloft in a spiral ilkent, till quite out of sight, and this chiefly in autumn, making a singular kind of noise ; it has also ano ther noise, like that of a bellowing blab beginning in February, and ceasing affir breeding-time ; but this is done while on the ground. If attacked by dogs or men, it defends itself well ; and is said to strike at the eyes of the enemy. The food is frogs, mice, and other reptiles, which it swallows whole, as well as fish. Latham remembers to have found two middle sized trouts in the stomach of one, per fectly_whol e. It is reckoned pretty good eating. Sce Plate ILI. Aves, fig. 7. and Plate IV. fig. 1.