STORK (rrron, chasidah). In Egypt, the two species collectively are called Anasek; the white, more particularly, Belari ; in Arabic Zakid, Zadig-(?), Abuhist, Heklek, Hesles, and Hadji Los ing, the three last-mentioned expressing the pecu liar clatter which storks make with their bills, and Hadji, or pilgrim, denoting their migratory habits. This quality several of the Western names likewise indicate, while our word stork is an appellation which extends to the Icelandic, Danish, Swedish, German, Hungarian, Lette, and Wallachian lan guages, and is presumed originally to have been Star eger—i.e. migrating Heron. Some would derive stork from the Greek crop-rj, with which it agrees in sound, but has no affinity of meaning, though it corroborates the interpretation cf Cha sidah in the Hebrew, similarly implying affection, piety, mercy, and gratitude. This name results from a belief, general through all ancient Asia, in the attachment of these birds to each other ; of the young towards the old, and of the parents towards their young. Without, therefore, admit ting the exaggerated reports, or the popular opin ions ot the East. respecting the stork, enough is shown to justify the identification of Chasidah with that bird ; notwithstanding that some learned com mentators have referred the word to heron, and to several other birds, though none upon investiga tion are found to unite in the same degree the qualities which are ascribed to the species in Lev. xi. 19 ; Dent. xiv. 18 ; Job xxxix. 13 ; Ps. civ.
; Jer. viii. 7 ; Zech. v. 9.
Storks are about a foot less in height than the crane, measuring only three feet six inches from the tip of the bill to the end of the toes, and nearly the same to the end of the tail. They have a stout, pointed, and rather long bill, which, together with their long legs, is of a bright scarlet colour ; the toes are partially webbed, the nails at the ex tremities flat and but little pointed beyond the tips of the joints. The orbits are blackish, but
the whole bird is.white, with the exception of a few scapulars, the greater wing covers, and all the quills, which are deep black ; they are doubly scalloped out, with those nearest the body almost as long as the very foremost in the wing. This is a provision of nature, enabling the bird more effec tually to sustain its after weight in the air—a faculty exceedingly important to its mode of flight, with its long neck and longer legs equally stretched out, and very necessary to a migrating species believed to fly without alighting from the Lower Rhine, or even from the vicinity of Strasburg, to Africa, and to the Delta of the Nile. Storks build their nests in pine, fir, cedar, and other coniferous trees, but seem to prefer lofty old buildings, towers, and ruins. There are always several located on the tops of the isolated pillars at Persepolis ; and they often obstruct the Muesim by nestling in their way, about the summits of the minarets which these servants of the mosques must ascend to call the congregation to prayer. Several modern writers still assert the filial affection of young storks, whom they describe as assisting their aged parents when they cannot any longer fly with vigour, and as bringring them food when unable to provide for themselves ; but without entirely rejecting the fact of affectionate relations among these birds, it may be remarked that there is no evidence to support this assertion.—C. H. S.