11 



combat till one has been vanquished, and is compelled to 

 abandon his claims to the disputed female, in favour of his 

 more potent rival. The iris of the Secretary is grey in the 

 immature and hazel in the adult bii'd, the bare skin adjacent to 

 it of a yellowish tlesh-coloiu', often tinged with orange, the cere 

 yellow. The legs and feet are of a pale didl fiesh colour, some 

 times inclining to yellow. The eye in this species is remark- 

 ble for the thick row of eyelashes with which it is fringed. 



It is singular that no very satisfactoiy figiu-e of this well 

 liuown species has yet been published ; the best with which 

 I am acquainted is that in Le Vaillant's " Oiseaux D'Afi'ique," 

 pi. 25. There is also a tolerable representation of it in 

 Lesson's "Traite D'Omithologie," pi. 3; both these figures 

 represent adult specimens. 



An interesting illustration of the mode in which the 

 Secretary cames a disabled sei-pent will be found in Harris' 

 " Game Animals of Southern Africa," pi. 25. 



Figures of the head and foot of the natural size are also 

 given in Gray's Genera, pi. 11, 



SPECIMENS OF SERPENTARIUS SECRETARIUS. 



Skeleton J Natal (G) Mr. Ayres. 



Do. 5 North-East Africa ... (G) Zoological Society. 



No. 1. adult... Gambia (G) United Service Museum. 



No. 2. J adult... Nubia (G) Mr. Verreaux. 



• 



No. 3. J adult... Natal (G) Mr. Ayres. 



B2 



