from the colony of Natal in South-eastern Africa. 237 



fi. Sagittarius secretarius (Scop.). Secretary Bird. 



Male. Eye very light brown ; legs pinkish white. Rare 

 about D'Urban, and exceedingly shy ; stalk about when feeding 

 like the Bustards. The stomach of the specimen sent contained 

 rats, locusts, lizards, and small snakes. The Secretary also feeds 

 on moles. 



7. PoLYBOROiDES RADiATUS (Scop.). Rayed Gymnogcne. 



Very small dark eye, iris nearly black ; cere, skin round the 

 eyes, and legs bright light yellow; bill black. 



This bird principally frequents places where the grass has 

 been burnt, stalking over the ground like the Bustard, and pick- 

 ing up insects, which seem to be its chief food. The stomach of 

 one specimen sent contained the remains of a blue-headed 

 lizard. It does not take long flights. The legs of this bird 

 bend backwards at the knee in an extraordinary manner, very 

 much as if they were out of joint ; whether the bird can bend 

 them back at pleasure, I cannot say. 



[Mr. Ayres's note of the colour of the iris in this species 

 (which was also verified by a drawing which he sent me) is im- 

 portant, as both Dr. A. Smith and Dr. Hartlaub describe the 

 iris of this bird as yellow. 



The West African specimens sent to me by Mrs. Hinderer 

 are stated to have had a " bright purple" tint in the eye, which 

 has not been noticed by Mr. Ayres. 



The late Dr. R. Vierthaler, who met with this species in Sen- 

 naar, says that the cere and cheeks of the immature bird are red, 

 but that the red fades immediately after death [vide 'Naumannia' 

 for 1852). A slight tinge of red is sometimes traceable on these 

 parts in the skins even of adult specimens, when first damped 

 for mounting. 



The peculiarity of the position of the tarsus alluded to by 

 Mr. Ayres was also mentioned to me some years since by M. 

 Jules Verreaux, from whose description, I should suppose it to be 

 only occasionally assumed at the will of the bird ; be this as it 

 may, the mechanism by which so curious a result is produced 

 would seem to be well worthy the attention of the anatomist, 

 which, as far as 1 know, has not hitherto been directed to it. — 

 J. H. G.] 



