264 



NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



GypogerantduE. Some of the characteristics of this family have already been noticed, 

 and to these we may add that the bill is shorter than the head, the upper mandible 

 arched from the vci-y Icisc, ;in(l nearly half covered by the cere. The neck and wings 



t"KJ. IJ-l.— I > i/jfoyi nxuHn strprntarius, secretary-bird. 



are loniTr the first five primaries of aboiit equal leiiLrth, and emaririnate on the inner 

 ■webs. The tail is unusually lonjr, the two middle fi'atliers very much lentjtliened ; the 

 legs, and especially the tarsi, remarkably long, the hind toe only about half as long as 

 the outer one. The skeleton also is peculiar in several respects. 



