76 THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 



excursion to Broken Bay. It gave proof of its strength by forcing its talons through a 

 man's foot while lying ui the bottom of a boat with its legs tied together. During the 

 ten days it rcmamed in captivity it i-efused to be fed by any but one particular person. 

 The natives, regarding it with wonder and fear, could never be prevailed to approach it. 

 They asserted that it would carry off a middhng-sized kangaroo. But it did not wait to 

 yield much opportunity for observation. One morning it was found to have divided the 

 strands of the rope by which it was fastened, and thus to liave made its escape. 



A mate was fomid for the solitary wedge-tailed eagle of the Zoological Gardens ; but 

 the eggs laid by the female bird have not been reared. The first, Mr. Broderip states, 

 was placed mider a hen, " good, easy Dame Partlet, but it was removed, after twenty- 

 one days, in an addled state. The process of incubation was continued by the same means 

 for twenty-two days, when the egg became addled. A third egg was destroyed by the 

 parents. A few days after another egg was laid, but no effort was made to get it hatched. 

 The imprisoned parents made a poor apology for a nest of birch-broom and straw — ^the 

 materials witliin their reach ; but so far from manifesting an intention to perform the 

 parental office, they tried to destroy every one of the eggs. 



THE CARACARA EAGLE.* 



Among the birds of prey this is one of the most handsome. It is the typo of a genus 

 (Pohjborus) estabhshed by M. VieiUot, and regarded by him, and most systematic writers, 

 as one of the connecting links between the eagle and the vulture tribes. In the partial 

 nakedness of its head, the prominence of its crop, and the position of its eyes on a level, 

 or nearly so, with the general surface, it bears some resemblance to the vultures. But 

 it bears a much clearer relation to the eagles, in almost every other part of its general 

 structure, as well as m its habits and modes of life. 



From the structure of the birds of this genus, though very destructive in their habits, 

 they are incapable of a lofty flight, of taking their prey on wing, or of carrying it to a 

 distant nest. They are more frequently seen walking, and walk much better than almost 

 any other birds of prey, and have, therefore, a much more varied bill of fare than fails 

 to the lot of the nobler species of tlieir tribe. Hence the generic name which M. Vicillot 

 has chosen is from two Greek words, meaning much food. The essential characters of 

 this genus consist of a beak, soniuwhat elongated, compressed laterally, strongly hooked 

 at the tij) of the upper maiidilile, nari-ow elliptical nostiils, wings nearly ctiual to the tail 

 in length, of a rounded form, with the third and foin-th quill-feathers longest, rather long 

 luaked legs, and claw of moderate length and curvature, but with little acutencss or power 

 of grasj)iiig. 



• rr>lyl)onis Vuljiiiris. Vieilt. 



