SERPENTAEIID^. 35 



when briskly pursued; sometimes, however, this con- 

 fidence in its legs costs the bird its life, when the well- 

 mounted horseman, aware of its terrestrial propensities, 

 steadily pursues it until it becomes too much exhausted 

 to avail itself of its wings, and ultimately falls a prey to 

 its enemy. When undisturbed, it usually stalks about 

 with considerable ease, grace, and dignity; but it is 

 difficult to approach, as its long legs and neck, and its 

 habit of frequenting open and exposed localities, enable 

 it to espy an enemy at a great distance, and thus to 

 guard against any sudden surprise. When seen making 

 steadily for a particular point, it may sometimes be 

 successfully cut off by pressing forward rapidly across 

 its path, as on such occasions, instead of deviating from 

 its straight course, it trusts to its legs for outstripping 

 its pursuer by holding on at all risks, in this respect 

 resembling the Ostrich. The food of the Secretary bird 

 is very various, consisting of snakes, lizards, tortoises, 

 mice, rats, insects of almost every kind, and even young 

 birds ; but these latter, I believe, it only devours when 

 distressed by hunger ; for amongst the old Dutch colonists -^ 

 it was frequently kept in captivity as an excellent me- 

 diator in the poultry-yard, as well as a protector to the 

 young fowls from the attacks of snakes, rats, &c. 



Many snakes show fight when attacked by the Secre- V 

 tary bird ; and it is a most amusing and ludicrous sight 

 to witness a combat between such different opponents ; 

 the bird, however, invariably comes off victorious after 

 a short but desperate resistance : the reptile hisses and 

 darts at the Secretary, which not only skilfully wards off 



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