the birds: Psalms 104:12; Jeremiah 22:23; Ezekiel 31:6; Daniel 4:21; Obadiah 1:4; Matthew 13:32
as for: Leviticus 11:19; Jeremiah 8:7
the stork: The stork is a species of the ardea: or heron genus, about the size of a goose in its body, but when erect, about three or four feet high; its general colour is white; extremity of the wings, and small part of the head, black; legs, very long, red, and naked a great way up; the toes four, long and connected, with flat nails like those of a man; beak long, jagged, red, and somewhat compressed; the upper and under chaps both of a length, with a furrow from the nostrils. It feeds on serpents, frogs, and insects, on which account it might be deemed unclean; lays four eggs, and sits thirty days; migrates about August, and returns in spring; and is remarkable for its love to its parents, whom it never forsakes, but feeds and cherishes when old; whence it had the name chaseedah:, which denotes kindness or piety, and stork, from the Greek στοργη:, natural affection.