Thinking black; 22 years without a break in the long grass of Central ...

"GREAT WHITE LAKE" 401
contained in this metallic message dangling from the dead
stork's leg is surely worth the ton of scientific fiction
written on this subject of migratory birds— yes, Prussia
is the name on the ring, and 5th July the date thereof
There is another link, too, in this story, and that im-
mensely important as indicating the actual stork-route
into Africa. For, be it known, this stork had a brother-
bird released from Northern Germany in the same July
with the same metallic data* But he, poor bird, is not
made of steel and was shot in Tunis, just as he was
entering on the Great African panorama—a needless
death seemingly, yet how necessary as a link in our chart
of bird-migration ! For here we see what really happened.
Sailing South out of Prussia, full speed ahead, over Bavaria
they go, over the Lake of Constance, South, ever South,
until the Alps are cleared. Leaving the Adriatic far on
the left, down into Lombardy they dart, right over
Florence and out into the Mediterranean with stately
beating pinions. Africa is now ahead, the land of sun,
sand, and surprises beckoning them on, but Tunis sees the
death of Stork No. 1. (Alas, man and stork alike, how
often, Africa, hast thou killed a new arrival with one
such brutal knock-down blow ! ) But Stork No. 2 knows a
thing or two, and he plans a route far from gunshot
range; nothing less than the taking of Africa in its
longitudinal length, and sailing serenely down the middle.
Not many shot-guns there, quoth Mr. Stork. So there
he starts on his long African journey, fifty solid degrees
of latitude ahead. Out of Europe into Tripoli, out of