IV 



SERPENTARIIDAE 



141 



having been already noticed (p. 137), it only remains to discuss 

 in detail the several families comprised in the latter Sub-Order. 



Fam. 11. Serpentariidae. Tliis contains only Serpentarius 

 secretarius, the African Secretary-Bird now generally recognised 

 as an Accipitrine form which is most common in the south, 



Fig. 38. Secretary-Bird. Serjjeatarcua secretarius. x ^. 



though extending northwards to the Gambia, Khartum, and 

 Abyssinia. It was first accurately made known in 1769, from 

 an example living in the menagerie of the Prince of Orange, by 

 Vosmaer, who was told that at the Cape of Good Hope it was 

 called " Sagittarius," or Archer, from its habit of striding like a 

 bowman about to shoot, and that this name had been corrupted 

 into "Secretarius." Subsequently about 1770 a pair was 



