412 MOOR HARRIER, FAMILY GYPOGERANIDJE ; SECRETARY. 



form a sort of ruff, analogous to the disk which is so conspicuous 

 in the Owls. The Harriers are more active, and more constantly 

 on the wing, than the Buzzards ; they chiefly frequent open moor- 

 lands, over which they skim in search of prey very close to the 



ground ; and they 

 nestle and roost on 

 its surface, building 

 their nests among 

 heath or fern. The 

 Moor Harrier (Fig. 

 216), the largest 

 species inhabiting 

 this country, is 

 commonly known as 

 the Moor Buzzard ; 

 it is a native of most 

 parts of Europe, 

 Asia, and Africa ; 

 frequenting boggy 

 moorlands and ex- 

 tensive marshes. It 

 feeds upon various 

 kinds of Water Birds, which it surprises by its almost noiseless 

 flight ; also upon water-rats, and fish which expose themselves 

 to it by swimming near the surface of the water. It will also 

 feed on carrion ; and, like most Carrion Birds, is somewhat gre- 

 garious in its habits. 



375. We next pass on to the family GYPOGERANID^E, which, 

 as already stated ( 364), includes but a single genus, the Secre- 

 tary Falcon or Vulture; of which we are only acquainted with 

 one species, which is an inhabitant of South Africa. In its 

 general characters, the Secretary approaches some of the Fal- 

 conidae, especially those species which feed upon reptiles ( 364) ; 

 thus its beak is short and abruptly hooked, and its legs are 

 clothed with feathers much lower down than in the Vultures ; to 

 which, also, it has little resemblance in physiognomy. The 

 Secretary was so called by the Dutch, from the plumes at the 



TIG. 216.-MOOR HARRIER. 



