12 JULY 1890, Page 15

A STORK'S SELF-SACRIFICE.

1-TO THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR!'l SIB,—Your correspondent, "Em Thierfreund," has given a touching instance of parental affection in his letter on "The Self-Sacrifice of a Female Stork." It is not without parallel. I take the following from Appendix D of Mr. Mark Twain's

"Tramp Abroad," which I am sure would interest both your scientific and lay readers :—

" In the daybeforeyesterdayshortlyaftereleveno'clock Night, the inthistownstandingTavern called The Waggoner' was clown- burnt. When the fire to the onthedownburninghouseresting Stork's Nest feached, flew the parent Storks away. But when the bytheragingliresurrounded Nest itself caught Fire, straightway plunged the quickreturning NotherStork into the Flames and died, her Wings over her young ones outspread."

This was from a Mannheim journal.-1 am, Sir, &c., H. 0. D.