or in music, while residing
in Venice, took a pigeon for his companion, and, being very fond of
birds, made a great pet of it. The pigeon, by being constantly in his
master's company, obtained so perfect an ear for music, that no one who
saw his behavior could doubt for a moment the pleasure it took in
hearing his master play and sing.

CARRIER PIGEON.--Some years ago, two persons arrived in London, from
Antwerp, with 110 pigeons, to be thrown off there for the purpose of
ascertaining whether they would find their way back, and if so, in what
time they would perform the journey. The pigeons were contained in
eight enclosures, constructed of wire and canvass, and capable of
admitting a sufficiency of air to the birds, and at the top of each was
a trap door of tin. The baskets were all placed side by side, and at a
given signal, on Monday morning at eight o'clock, the doors were all
lifted up, and out rushed all the pigeons at the same instant. They
rose in a flock, and bent their way immediately in the direction of
home. The men set off on foot shortly after, with certificates of the
hour of departure. Most of the pigeons reached Antwerp the same day,
the swiftest bird having arrived there in five hours and a half: the
distance he flew was 186 miles!

ORDER V.

STILTED OR LONG-LEGGED BIRDS.

This order includes a number of remarkable birds, some of great size.
Most of them live on fish; while others eat grain and insects.

THE ADJUTANT, OR MARABOO CRANE.

Of this enormous bird we have the following account: A young one, about
five feet high, was taken and tamed at Sierra Leone. It was fed in the
large dining-hall, and at dinner-time always took its place behind its
master's chair--frequently before the guests entered. The servants were
obliged to watch their provisions narrowly, and defend them from the
crane by means of switches; but notwithstanding all their precaution,
it would frequently snatch something or other, and once purloined a
whole boiled fowl, which it swallowed in an instant. When threatened
with punishment, it would open its enormous bill, and roar like a bear
or tiger. It swallowed every thing whole, and on one occasion took, at
one mouthful, a leg of mutton weighing five or six pounds.

THE STORK.

A traveller in Russia tells us the following curious story: He was one
evening riding near a village, when he saw a number of people in a
field assembled round some object. He went to th