20 



Genus SENEX (Gray.) 

 SENEX ATTSTRALIS (Gmelin.) 



SOUTHERN CARACARA. 



The Southern Caracara is found within very restricted 

 geographical limits, which contrast curiously with the wide 

 range of the preceding species. 



Ml". Dai-win, who describes this bird in the " Zoology of 

 the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle," under the sjTiou3nn of "Jf«7y«^o 

 leiicurus,'''' thus defines its geographical distribution : — " The 

 Milvago leucurus is exceedingly numerous at the Falkland 

 Islands, and, as an old sealer who had long frequented these 

 seas remarked to me, this Ai-chipelago appears to be theu* 

 metropolis. I was infonned by the same authority that they 

 are found on the Diego Eamirez Eocks, the II Defonso Islands, 

 and on some others, but never on the main land of Tien-a del 

 Fuego. This statement I can corroborate to a certain degree, 

 as I never saw one in the southern part of Tierra del Fuego, 

 near Cape Horn, whicl* was twice visited during oiu- A'oyage. 

 They are not found on Georgia or on the other antarctic islands." 

 Mr. Darwin adds the following remarks on the habits of tliis 

 • species: — "In many respects these hawks very closely resemble 

 in their habits the Polyborus Brasiliensis* They live on the 

 flesh of dead animals, and on marine productions. On the 

 Eamirez Eocks, which support no vegetation, and therefore no 

 land animals, theii- entire sustenance must depend upon the 

 sea. At the Falkland Islands they were extraordinarily tame 

 and fearless; and constantly haunted the neighbourhood of the 

 houses to pick up aU kinds of offal. If a himting party in the 

 country killed a beast, these birds immediately congregated 

 fi'om all quarters of the horizon, and, standing on the gi-oimd 



* Mr. Darwin refers, under the name of Pohjhorus Brasiliensis, to the 

 Brazilian Caracara, which I have designated in these pages by the prior sjTionym 

 of Polyborus tharus. 



