10 



high trees in some localities, but in others of a more desert 

 character, in the centres of the large and tliick bushes which 

 are found on many of the sandy plains of Aiiica, and the new 

 shoots of which are frequently observed to grow up round 

 the nest, so as effectually to conceal it. The eggs, which 

 are white, are generally two, but sometimes thi-ee in number. 

 The shape of the egg indicates, by the proportionate narrow- 

 ness of the smaller end, an affinity to those of several birds of 

 the order Grallas. It is said that the female alone incubates the 

 eggs, that the young remain in the nest as much as six months 

 after they are hatched, that during this period they are fed by 

 the parent birds, and in the earlier portion of it by food regm-- 

 gitated from the crop after the manner of the vultures. The 

 Secretary is, I believe, the only Eaptorial bii'd which is fur- 

 nished with a bony protuberance on the inner side of the carpal 

 joint of the wing, wliich is another indication of its propin- 

 quity to the Grallatorial order: The 'Secretaiy attacks the 

 serpents on which it feeds by violent and powerful strokes 

 of its foot, guarding itself meanwhile against their bites 

 by spreading one of its wings before it as a shield ; it fre- 

 quently moimts ill the air holding in its bill a snake which it 

 has partially disabled by the blows of its feet, and which it 

 finally destroys by di'opping it from a height upon the ground. 

 When the Secretary has vanquished a serpent too large for it 

 to swallow whole, it stands upon the reptile's neck, and gra- 

 dually devoiu's it, commencing at the tail. It is worthy of 

 remark that the Secretary appears never to molest the various 

 small passerine birds which build in the same bush or tree 

 that contains its nest, and which seem rather to seek than 

 to avoid the proximity of so powerful a neighbour. The 

 Secretaries are frequently fomid in pau's, but are not other- 

 wise gregarious. On the approach of the nesting season 

 it sometimes happens tliat two males fight vigorously for 

 the possession of a female, strikiug each other vehemently 

 and perseveringly with theii' wings, and continuing the 



