Stork: Heb. hasidah, meaning "kindness," indicating thus the character of the
bird, which is noted for its affection for its young. It is in the
list of birds forbidden to be eaten by the Levitical law
(Leviticus 11:19)
(Deuteronomy 14:18) It is like the crane, but larger in size. Two species are
found in Palestine, the white, which are dispersed in pairs over the
whole country; and the black, which live in marshy places and in great
flocks. They migrate to Palestine periodically (about the 22nd of
March). Jeremiah alludes to this
(Jeremiah 8:7) At the appointed time
they return with unerring sagacity to their old haunts, and re-occupy
their old nests. "There is a well-authenticated account of the
devotion of a stork which, at the burning of the town of Delft, after
repeated and unsuccessful attempts to carry off her young, chose
rather to remain and perish with them than leave them to their fate.
Well might the Romans call it the pia avis!" In
(Job 39:13) (A.V.),
instead of the expression "or wings and feathers unto the ostrich"
(marg., "the feathers of the stork and ostrich"), the Revised Version
has "are her pinions and feathers kindly" (marg., instead of "kindly,"
reads "like the stork's"). The object of this somewhat obscure verse
seems to be to point out a contrast between the stork, as
distinguished for her affection for her young, and the ostrich, as
distinguished for her indifference. Zechariah
(Zechariah 5:9) alludes to
the beauty and power of the stork's wings.
