floating in triumph in the crisp November air
over the well-defended Day castle.

This was the last battle between the British and Americans in the old
war for independence.

MARABOUS AND HYENAS.

The ugliest storks in the world are found in Southern Asia and Central
Africa. Their flesh-colored heads are only partially covered with stiff,
wiry feathers, and hanging on the breast they bear a disgusting pouch,
which answers the purpose of a crop. One of the largest of these storks
is the marabou. It stalks about the great sandy plains of Central Africa
with a composure and lordly grandeur, as if it were the most beautiful
bird in the world. Its body feathers are of a dull metallic green color,
and its wings and tail are dingy black. Looking at the awkward creature,
no one would suspect that under its ungainly wings it carried the most
exquisite and fairy-like little plumes, so airy that it takes basketfuls
of them to weigh an ounce. They are pure white, and so much desired for
trimming that the bird is vigorously hunted by the natives, who sell
these dainty feathers to traders for a very large price.

Hunting the marabou is attended with great difficulty, as the bird
possesses wonderful cunning, and often contrives to outwit the most
skillful hunter. With laughable dignity it measures the ground between
itself and its pursuer, and takes very good care not to exhaust itself
by too rapid flight. If the hunter moves slowly, the bird at once adopts
an equally easy pace, but if the hunter quickens his steps, the bird is
off like an arrow. It is very difficult to get within gun-range of this
calculating creature, but the natives adopt a novel means of capturing
it, which the bird, with all its astuteness, is unable to comprehend,
and falls an easy victim. A tempting morsel of meat is tied to the end
of a long stout cord, which the skillful hunter flings to a great
distance, as he would a lasso, the bait falling as near the fleeing bird
as he can aim it. He then conceals himself hastily behind a bush, or
crouches low on the sand. The marabou, which always keeps its eye on the
hunter, seeing him vanish, quietly stops and devours the bait, when it
is easily secured by the hunter, who runs toward it, coiling the rope as
he goes.

The marabou feeds on carrion, like the vulture. Its throat is very
large, and it will greedily eat everything that comes in its way. In the
swamps and plains around Khartoom, on the Nile, are