SERPENTAEIID^ SBRPENTARIUS 405 



Thebes in Upper Egypt in the north, through Abyssinia and Somali- 

 land to Cape Colony ; it is not found in the forest regions of west 

 Africa or Nyasaland and has only been obtained hitherto in the 

 drier and more westerly portion of German east Africa. Some recent 

 authors have considered the northern and western bird sufficiently 

 distinct to be considered a separate species. In South Africa it is 

 found throughout the country, but more abundantly in the higher 

 and drier districts and less commonly in the more wooded parts. 

 It is not uncommon close to Cape Town and in the north-western 

 districts of the Colony, and has been noticed near Port Elizabeth 

 and East London, while the South African Museum possesses 

 examples from the Bredasdorp and Middelburg divisions. In 

 Natal it is common in the upland country, but very rare near the 

 coast, while in the Orange Eiver Colony, Transvaal, Ehodesia and 

 German territories it is widely spread though nowhere very common. 



History and Habits. — The Secretary Bird was first made known 

 in Europe in 1769 by Vosmaer, who described a specimen sent to 

 Holland by Heer Hemmy, member of the Board of Justice of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, as a present to the Prince of Orange. In 1770 

 Edwards saw a live example and described and figured it in the 

 Pliilosopliical Transactions of the following year ; but the best early 

 account of the bird is to be found in Levaillant's great work. 



Secretary birds are usually seen in pairs marching with great 

 deliberation and considerable dignity at some distance apart from 

 one another across the veld in search of food ; if disturbed or 

 molested they usually make off at a run. Their pace is very great 

 and they actually seem to skim the ground when briskly pursued. 

 They seldom take to the wing and if compelled to do so, only for 

 short flights. 



The Secretary Bird has gained its chief repute in consequence of 

 its Snake-eating habits, and all the older authors laid great stress 

 on this excellent trait. Latterly, however, some observers have 

 been inclined to minimise the good it does in this respect and to 

 attribute to it great destruction of the young of partridges and hares- 

 There is no doubt that its appetite is very varied and undiscrimi- 

 nating. In the stomach of a female shot on the Cape flats near 

 Cape Town, there were found one tortoise (Homopics), eight chame- 

 leons, twelve lizards of two species, three frogs, one adder {Bitis 

 inornata), two locusts, two quails, and remains of other animals. 

 The prey is killed, or stunned, by a stamp from the powerful foot, 

 and when a snake is attacked the wing is spread out as a shield to 



